


Red Ribbons

by snakemittens



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Action & Romance, Alpha Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Blood, Blood Drinking, Blood Sharing, Blood and Violence, Blow Jobs, Fights, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Happy Ending, Historical References, Human Eren Yeager, Human/Vampire Relationship, M/M, Mating Rituals, Minor Character Death, Modern Era, Omega Eren Yeager, Oral Sex, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Possible Anime Spoilers, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rimming, Self-Lubrication, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Suicidal Thoughts, Vampire Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Vampire Mike Zacharias, Vampire Turning, Vampires, Violence, possible manga spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2019-01-25 19:33:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 109,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12539548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snakemittens/pseuds/snakemittens
Summary: After a worldwide blood crisis, the vampires have come out of the shadows with a series of demands. In order to avoid a war against the immortal, humanity has agreed to give the few remaining Type O humans to the vampiric families. Eren Jaeger, one of these few Type O humans, has avoided the law for eighteen years before he is suddenly taken from everything he'd ever known and sold to a peculiar vampire.Levi Ackerman is running out of time. After starving himself for years on end, he's finally found the perfect human. Will his need for blood destroy any chance he'd have at forming a real relationship with Eren?





	1. Chapter 1

“ _Run, Eren!_ ” his mother shrieked. “Go without me! Now! _Go!_ ”

No matter how much she called out, Eren’s feet wouldn’t move. He was latched onto his mother’s hand, trying to pull her with him. “Come on, come with!” he kept shouting. “Don’t give up now! Mom!”

With her legs mangled and broken, it was impossible for her to run but Eren shouted anyway. An TRA agent had bashed them in with their government issued rods to keep her in place. There was no more running, not even for Eren. She let out a silent scream and pointed behind him to a large pair of hands that were grabbing him by his middle. He was torn from his mother, his nails raking against her skin as a last-ditch effort to hold on.

One of the bastards started talking into the little radio clipped to his shirt collar, “This is the Type Reinforcement Squad Ten, we’ve located the boy and are taking him in now. He looks to be eighteen. Frail. Malnourished. Otherwise untouched and unmarked.”

“Copy. See you soon,” another garbled voice responded within seconds.

The other agent started talking to his sobbing mother and took out his handgun, “Harboring a Type O child and resisting police arrest results in an immediate death penalty. This is a crime against the human race and in violation of the VAT. Our evidence indicates that you, Carla Jaeger, are guilty.”

Eren’s ears started ringing when the gunshot popped but he refused to close his eyes or look away. Blood pooled around his mother’s head and his body fell limp in the TR agent’s grasp. “Mom…?” he whispered, reaching out for her. He had half a mind to think that she’d get up and reach back, pulling him into an embrace and telling him it would all be okay. Instead, he was hit in the head with one of the rods and his vision started to get fuzzy.

“Set fire to the house and let’s take him in, cleaned up, tested, fed, and sold.”

 

Eren sat in a plain, white room. His head throbbed under his right eye and stomach churned unhappily. It wasn’t the usual pains of his empty stomach but rather a clenching knot of fear and panic. Both his wrists were handcuffed to the chair he sat in and he squirmed around, knowing he’d never get comfortable in it. The metal was cold on his skin and the thin, white scrubs they stuck him in weren’t exactly warm either. The worst part was the gag they’d stuck in his mouth and strapped around his head. It was as if the bastards were _trying_ to make him as uncomfortable as possible. He’d woken up locked to the chair and wondered how fucking long they’d make him wait around.

It was a day he’d been avoiding for his entire life, the day he would be forced to comply with humanity’s pathetic submission to the ‘greater’ species. The thought made him sick to his stomach, feeding those _leeches_ to sustain their immortality. With so many horror stories leaked into the media, his mother did the best she could to keep him out of their clutches. But, of course, he’d made a grave mistake and left her for dead. He would have punched something and instead just pathetically thrashed in his chair again with no avail.

At last, a woman walked in with short gray hair and round glasses. By the looks of her uniform, she was a higher-up in the Type Reinforcement division of the military. She sat in the chair across from Eren and set a few items on the table in front of them. “Eren Jaeger. Alias, Eren Kruger. Eighteen. Pronounced dead at birth. No record of formal education. Type O,” she listed off the facts coldly, glaring at him the entire time as if he’d personally offended her and every single one of her ancestors.

She uncapped a medical needle and leaned over to stick it into his arm. Eren winced and tried to jump away with no avail. She drew the blood mercilessly as if he weren’t even human. She kept her same, expressionless tone while she spoke again, “You were unconscious for the day. We’ve made sure to keep you hydrated, cleaned, and nourished during that time period. You’ve got no diseases, no STD’s, and nothing to disqualify you from the VAT.” Once she finished stealing a healthy amount of his blood, she capped the needle again and set it aside. A trickle of blood started beading out from the puncture wound in his arm and dripped onto his white pants.

“I’m assuming your mother kept you hidden to _save_ you from the program. It’s a common story. Still, eighteen years is a record. Quite impressive, actually, but unfortunately it will only result in more trauma for you. We take blood samples for almost anything these days, it’s a wonder how you got so far,” she sighed, grabbing some more things out of her briefcase.

She wasn’t wrong. His life was no cakewalk and the agony of living in constant fear of being found out was enough to kill a man. Sometimes he wondered why he was even alive anymore or why his mother tried so hard to keep him safe with her. But, as always, he’d get a quick reminder anytime he saw one of _them_ in person.

The woman strode around him and attached a thick, metal collar to his neck. It was freezing and heavy against his skin. Next, she exchanged his handcuffs for shackles with nimble fingers and a quickness that didn’t allow him any opportunity to leap from his spot or lash out at her. At least they weren’t stuck behind his back anymore but rather in front of him. “Up you go. We’re heading out now. We don’t have much time to waste. Let’s walk and talk.”

She tugged on Eren with the chain attached to his shackles and led him out of the room. He had nightmares of the day he’d walk through the TR headquarters. It was different than he imagined. Everything was stale white, there were no windows in sight, and the stone floors felt like ice against his bare feet. _It’s like they’re trying to turn me into a human popsicle,_ he thought pathetically in hopes to lighten up the darkness sweeping through his mind.

“I’m sure you’re rather unaware of the gravity of this situation and the position you’re in, so I’m going to speak quickly. The blood types stand for Alpha, Alpha-Beta, Beta, and Omega. Pureblood vampires are all Alphas with Type A blood. With no Type A humans left on Earth, they now require what few Type O humans we’ve got left. Universal donors, so to speak. To keep humanity safe from the tyranny of immortal vampires, we’ve created the Vampiric Alliance Treaty. All Omegas will be handed over willingly to the purebloods in order to keep the rest of us safe. You must understand that your cooperation will save our entire species from an unbeatable war.”

Eren kept chewing onto the gag with anger. He understood what it meant to have Type O blood. If she was coating it all with fancy words like Alpha and Omega, it wasn’t helping. He wouldn’t bow down and take it. He wouldn’t let his own kind treat him like _fucking livestock_ without a fight. He ignored her and anything else she had to say.

There were so many rooms and offices, he didn’t even try to look around too much. The fear and anger clutching onto his heart kept him from doing anything but staring straight ahead. He tried to focus on the little things, like the woman’s heels clicking with every step or the slight murmur of radios here and there. They finally stopped and entered some kind of large garage with cages stacked on top of each other. Eren’s expression turned to downright horrified when he saw the cages were filled with other Type O’s of varying ages in the same getup as he was, chains, gags, and all. They all looked at him with wide eyes and shrunk back from the woman with him. It was clear none of them knew what was happening. Eren wondered if it was better that they didn’t.

The woman kicked the back of his knees and caused him to fall to all fours. She shuffled him into the largest cage they had, which still wasn’t that big, and secured the little door with a padlock. “One more down,” she sighed as she walked away. The saddened tone was the first emotion Eren could sense from her since they’d met. “Only a few left out there to go until we can end this terrible goose chase for good.”

Eren pulled his knees up to his chest and tried to pry at the gag in his mouth. Without being able to reach the back of his head, his efforts were futile. It seemed his only option was to just sit and wait, hoping for some kind of miracle.

* * *

Levi sprawled out lazily in the back of the SUV, flipping through the news stories on his phone. Most of them were the same-old, same-old. Protests against the Vampiric Alliance Treaty resulted in mass arrests. That one came along with a photo of a girl holding up a sign reading _Humans Against VAT._ Complaints against the Type Reinforcement Agency were on the rise as they reobtained Type O children hidden away by parents. The ABO Crisis ruined the world, but the VAT and TRA are making it better. The elimination of positive and negative blood types saved millions of lives. The conflicting arguments and fleeting opinions were enough to make Levi sigh.

“How many Type O humans do you think are left?” Levi asked, his voice drawling with boredom. His estate hidden away in the forest meant a long drive to the city. They’d been on the road for hours and the impatience was nipping away at Levi’s usual silence.

Mike, his trusted ally and driver of the vehicle, looked back through the rearview mirror with a curious expression. “Why do you ask, sir?”

“Call it a passing thought.”

“Not many. I’d bet they’re nearly extinct now just like the Type A and AB humans. The other royal vampiric families have tried breeding Type O humans with no results. The humans have stopped giving birth to them entirely. I’d say the ones walking the earth today are the ones we’ve got left,” he replied smoothly. “I’m sure you’ll find one you like today, sir. You must be starving.”

“Thank you for your optimism, Mike,” Levi politely returned, even though he doubted the fact.

The ABO Crisis occurred decades ago, before humans even knew of the existence of vampires. It seemed their fragile, pathetic bodies were adapting and defending against creatures unbeknownst to them. Levi would forever believe that humans were the most brilliant as well as the most ignorant of parasites, changing without even realizing it until the doctors suddenly came together and found that they were no longer producing children with Types A, AB, or O blood. An abundance of Type B children was born into the world, even when their parents’ genetics deemed it impossible.

It was then the head of the Vampiric Court exposed their existence, for this blood type crisis not only effected the humans but the vampires as well. The explosion of information nearly put the human population in shock, but just as always, they adapted.

“It’s said that blood type determines personality,” Levi mused. “Do you think all Omegas are subservient and meek?”

“You sure are talkative this evening,” Mike smirked back at him. “Excited to try this again?” When Levi didn’t respond, Mike answered Levi’s question, “I was told the Goddess of Death created all Alphas and Omegas to be created as equal matches for one another. Perhaps this means that not all of them are instinctively soft-natured.”

“I suppose personality doesn’t matter much anymore,” Levi mumbled.

“We’re both much too young to remember, but my grandmother used to tell me stories of how things were originally intended to be. Back then, vampires wooed their chosen human with their magic and beauty in order to keep them by their side forever. It wasn’t like it is now where they’re just marked and kept around to feed off of.”

“You’d think purebloods like me would adapt like them so we wouldn’t have to exclusively drink Type O blood,” he muttered. “But I guess since we can’t die, we can’t change either.”

“I’m not sure that’s true,” Mike shrugged and smiled, “But I suppose we won’t know until it happens. We changelings do have a more adaptable advantage to purebloods, though your abilities are beyond compare.”

Mike, as always, was correct. The divide between pureblood vampires and their lesser kin was astronomical. Changelings, as they were called, were vampires who had once been human and turned by a pureblood. They all had Type AB blood, something that changed during their transformation, and lived immortally like purebloods. All of them had unique abilities differing vastly from others, some with the ability to control elements or the strength of a thousand men. Moreover, changelings could also drink Type B blood which left them able to thrive with ease in the new world. Purebloods were another, darker story altogether.

They pulled up to the front of the hotel and let the valet take care of their vehicle. Levi and Mike stepped into the front lobby where there were gilded signs instructing them where to go. With vampires only making up a small percentage of the population, Levi hadn’t expected so many to attend. He recognized plenty of them that inhabited the same city as he, after several hundred years he finally started to learn their names. The attending changelings bowed to him with respect while his fellow purebloods gave a nod and moved on.

Vampires were filing into the event room as quickly as they could, eventually leaving Levi and Mike alone in the lobby. Levi wasn’t in a rush and Mike wasn’t going to push him either. He hated crowds and knew they wouldn’t start the bidding for another hour. Unlike most, Levi didn’t have to mull over his decisions or do any taste-testing. With one sniff, he’d know right from wrong. With age came a keen sense of scent and Levi had seen so many goddamn years his nose was nearly perfected. Immortality didn’t come with many perks in Levi’s opinion, but the enhanced skills were nice.

“He’s loose!” several panicked screams came from the stairway before a flash of white came sliding down the grand staircase railing and across the marble floors.

“How the fuck did he do that?” another voice shouted. “Don’t let him escape!”

Levi watched on as a boy dressed in white scrubs escaped the grasping hands coming after him. He wore the collars Type O humans needed to protect their necks from any unwanted markings during the bidding as well as a gag over his mouth. His hands and feet were free of the usual shackles and his chocolate brown hair flowed behind him as he ran. It was almost amusing as he out-raced the TR agents and Levi dared to let out a chuckle.

Before the boy could make it out the door, Levi zipped in front of him with a vampiric speed and caught him in an unexpected embrace, pinning the guy to his chest. Two raging emerald eyes glared straight at him with the dark vehemence of a million warriors. He was the embodiment of fire and fight with those striking eyes and the growl coming out from behind the gag. Teeth clenched onto the white, rubber ball and drool dripped out from the corners of his mouth. He looked more like a rabid dog than a human. The most alluring thing about him, though, was his scent. A very potent mixture of sweet apples and spices surrounded Levi in a way that could have tempted him to sink his teeth right into the boy’s neck if he weren’t wearing that stupid fucking collar.

“Ah! Sir Levi. Thank you so much, we’re still not sure how he escaped. This one is truly a mystery,” a TR agent pried Eren from Levi’s grasp, much to his disappointment, and clipped a chain onto his collar to yank him back up the stairs. He nervously spoke, knowing exactly who Levi was and most likely stressed by the wild Type O he was barely holding on to. “I do hope you enjoy the bidding!” the agent called back to Levi out of respect and politeness. “Thank you again!”

Levi stayed in place, both shocked and murderous. He couldn’t believe someone like that existed, a boy with so much passion and the most gorgeous set of eyes. His body shook with rage when he was taken away and his fingers were almost reaching out to take down any agent that got in his way of staring into those beautiful eyes once more.

“Sir,” Mike coughed. He snapped Levi out of his state and gestured toward the event room. “They’ll be starting soon. We better go in.”

“Right…” Levi sighed, following Mike into the large auditorium. They reserved front row seats alongside the other royal families. Levi sank into the worn, scarlet velvet and surveyed his surroundings. The empty stage was lit as if they were about to watch a play. The vampires around him were whispering with one another and a buzz of excitement seemed to reverberate throughout the room. Scents were flowing and mixing and conflicting in the air and Levi, like everyone else, did his best to ignore it. Unlike humans, vampires were more sensitive to each individual’s natural scent and could use it to test for good or bad matches.

When the Type O humans were first relinquished to the vampire race, many pureblood head of households found matches easily and right away. Some, like Levi, were waiting for that perfect match. And even less, like Levi, waited around too long for that match and were left picking off the last of the Type O humans to purchase and feed from.

There were others though, too, that already had purchased their humans for their family and just enjoyed the show. They occupied a majority of the space in the room, getting some kind of sick amusement out of the whole ordeal. As stated in the VAT, each family was allowed one human and a family in vampiric terms was one pureblood with any set number of changeling allies. Family was a much nicer term than cult anyway. The treaty didn’t stop anyone from attempting to steal another family’s human, but it was a nice attempt at making sure no pureblood starved to death. Levi knew a few families in particular that killed off others just to nab another human, but never judged too much. In a dog-eat-dog world, there wasn’t much he could do other than sit back and watch the chaos. After all, how could he judge another for murder when he was just as guilty of his own crimes?

Their host for the evening, another TR agent, strode out onto the stage and greeted them all with obnoxious showmanship, “Welcome, welcome! On tonight’s roster, we have nine Type O candidates to show you today! Anyone who does not have a Type O in their household, please make sure you’re in the first row of seats as we hand out some materials for you all. Under your seats, you will find your bidding paddles. One side is green and the other white. If you have questions or would like a blood sample during the showing, please hold up your green side and one of our agents will assist you. The white side will be reserved for bidding. Now, let’s begin!”

After living through countless world tragedies and seeing almost anything a person could see, the entire event still bothered Levi. Agents would roll out humans in cages onto the stage and roll them off whether they were bought or not as if they were exotic animals or something. The first human they showed off was a fifteen-year-old girl who looked out at the crowd, horrified and flushed. They’d dressed her up in a white dress, most likely in hopes to drive up her price. Beauty sold and she was definitely beautiful in a youthful, innocent way, but Levi had no interest in her. His mind was still flooded with the boy nearly escaping his darkened fate.

The next five ‘candidates’ were all quite young and they all went fast. As terrible as it were, the younger Type O humans were easily trained and suffered a bit less than the older ones who knew what their true purpose was. Others preferred children due to the fact that vampires couldn’t have their own. Levi had heard and seen a few different excuses, but it still seemed quite odd.

“You don’t even want a blood sample?” Mike leaned in to ask Levi as they were passing little shot glasses full of scarlet to interested buyers.

“I can smell it all from here. It’s not right,” Levi mumbled back.

The rows were clearing out as families were taken to the next room to fill out the required paperwork and gather their humans. With three more left, Levi wondered if they’d even bother to show the boy that night. Perhaps he’d get taken in for some discipline training or sedated. His hope was running out as they showed off the next two candidates, a set of twins that had to be about ten years old. Sold separately, of course.

“And, finally, a rather unique candidate,” the host nervously laughed as a new cage was rolled onto the stage. “This is Eren, eighteen years old. He’s been given all necessary vaccines. Untrained. Let our agents know if you’d like more information or perhaps a blood sample.”

Levi’s green paddle was the first one up, as he stared up at the familiar boy whom he now knew as Eren. They’d chained his hands up to the top of the cage and somehow managed to fit him into a pair of black slacks and a white button-down dress shirt. His long hair had been tied up so the viewers could get a clear look at his face and he looked wildly out at the crowd, squinting in the bright stage lights. He was cramped in that little cage but Levi guessed it was the only way to keep him from escaping again.

An agent came around with Eren’s papers and the sample. Levi downed it in one gulp and saw sparks as the chilled liquid slid down his dry throat. He hadn’t consumed a drop of blood in years, but Eren’s was something worth waiting for. The taste was much like his scent, a crisp and delightful medley of apples and spices that reminded him fondly of autumn afternoons. His eyes darted down the row to see others sampling it as well and he suppressed a snarl. While it wasn’t exactly official, that boy was _his_ and watching the others taste _his_ human’s blood had him slowly rising from his seat. They all seemed just as interested and started scanning over his paperwork, looking over his health history and what little information they had on him. Levi had already given it a look. Eren was an anomaly among Type O humans, one that had been kept hidden away like a gem in a mountain. Everything about him was unique, interesting, and alluring. His scent screamed at Levi and gripped him around the neck, capturing his attention with an almost violent need.

“Sir,” Mike yanked him back down. “The bidding.”

Levi growled a bit at Mike but slowly nodded. His guard was right. He’d have Eren no matter what price he came with, monetary or otherwise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! With Halloween right around the corner, I figured it was a great time to release this story I've been working on! I hope you guys like it, sorry for all the exposition at the beginning here! What's _your_ blood type?
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	2. Chapter 2

“Five million, can I get five million?” the host cried out over the vampires’ roar of shouting and arguing over who got to take Eren home. The bidding had only begun and the buyers were already at each other’s throats. Instead of losing his head in a verbal fight, Levi silently raised his white paddle once more while Mike gawked at him from the side.

“I’ll pay ten!” a woman shouted, standing on top of her chair.

“Fifteen!” a man countered.

Levi realized that those who lived the longest stockpiled the most money. Luckily for him, he’d out-aged most of the vampires in the room. “Twenty,” he called out, expressionless.

Three purebloods stormed out of the room, throwing in the towel right then and there, surely knowing not to fuck with Levi Ackerman. At least they were smart enough to know it was a battle they wouldn’t win and a pureblood that they shouldn’t cross. A few more stuck around to drive the price up some more, but most realized they were just wasting their time. The game wasn’t so fun anymore when Levi just kept outbidding them with no emotion whatsoever.

“Sold to Sir Ackerman,” the host finally announced when the time for bidding ran out.

A TR agent kindly escorted Levi and Mike to a room off the auditorium. He signed nearly twenty documents, all for different sorts of consent and assurance. There was a document stating that Eren was now a part of his family and another stating that Levi would keep him healthy and safe. One assured that Levi would follow the rules set forth by the VAT. More of them served as proof that he did indeed purchase Eren legally. They set copies of them all plus a few more informative booklets and packets into a brown envelope.

After handing over the big ass check, they waited around for someone to bring Eren out. Apparently, they had some more business with him, though Levi couldn’t imagine what that would be. Finally, someone carried him out bridal style. Eren’s hands were bound in front of him in tight cuffs, but his collar was gone and they’d removed the gag in favor of a wired muzzle. When the agent noticed Levi eyeing the muzzle they shrugged and held up their bleeding hand, “He bites.”

Somehow that wasn’t surprising in the slightest.

“We’ve injected him with the trackable microchip, embellished him with the Ackerman family crest, and packed up his belongings for you. Unfortunately, we had to give him a mild sedative to calm him down. He should be up in a few hours.”

The agent went to hand Eren off to Mike, but Levi intercepted and held out his arms, “I’ll be taking him.”

“Sir Levi, are you certain?” They looked at him with doubt, most likely wondering why the hell a noble would carry out his own Omega. It was probably something a human would never understand.

“I’ve lived centuries longer than you ever will,” he spoke with a sharp tongue, losing his patience. “Do _not_ question my certainty.” He grabbed Eren from the agent’s arms and tucked the Omega’s head comfortably in the crook of his neck. Mike took the little brown satchel of Eren’s artifacts, the documentation, and hurried to follow Levi out the door.

As they stepped outside and waited for the valet to bring back the SUV, Levi caught Mike snickering. “What’s got you in stiches?”

“Nothing, really, sir,” Mike smiled warmly, “I just haven’t seen you so boisterous in ages.”

“Enjoy it while it lasts,” Levi rolled his eyes, looking down at the boy in his arms.

“I’ve got a feeling it will last quite a while with this one around. What makes him so special?” Mike asked freely. “You nearly killed yourself of starvation waiting around this long.”

“Smells good,” Levi kept his answer short. In reality, there were a million reasons why this boy stood out amongst the rest. His eyes weren’t dead but rather flooded with life. There was no fear painted across his face but rather unmatched determination.

When the valet came around, Mike took his position in the driver’s seat and Levi cautiously situated himself and Eren in the back. He sat on one end and let Eren rest his head on his lap while he slept with the rest of his lengthy body stretching out across the other seats. He was so damned skinny, Levi hoped they’d be able to change that shortly. He wondered what sort of underground life the boy lived to have gotten so far unmarked. Mike didn’t need to be asked to drive as carefully as he could, avoiding anything that might stir Eren from his drug-induced slumber. While nothing could probably shake him from it, Levi didn’t want to take the chance. He did, however, take off the muzzle and the cuffs. The moment he did, Eren nuzzled his freed face into Levi’s thigh and made a happy little sound.

Mike looked back and noticed the human cozying up to Levi and hummed, “How are you going to handle his heats?”

“Hm?” Levi was hardly listening, too busy brushing his fingers through Eren’s soft hair. He took it out of the ponytail they’d died it in and let it flow loosely.

“His heats, sir. The nights of a full moon when his body needs an Alpha’s touch?” Mike elaborated, finally catching Levi’s attention. “He’s beyond puberty unlike those younger Omegas. He’ll endure them once he gets your mark.”

It was a question Levi couldn’t answer yet. Vampire families were obnoxiously secretive with their own methods of caring for their human blood bags and Levi had no frame of reference on what was natural and what wasn’t. Not like he really cared what was ‘right’, but a little guidance would have been pretty fucking helpful.

An Alpha’s bloodlust and an Omega’s physical lust were meant to keep them codependent on one another. An Omega marked at a pre-pubescent age would never endure a heat while those matured lured their mates in with an undeniable scent and sexual energy. Levi didn’t even _think_ about dealing with Eren’s heats when he’d chosen him. All he was really thinking about was how much he needed Eren in his life.

And as far as a marking went, it was inevitable. The moment Levi drank from Eren’s veins, a permanent scarring would link them together for the rest of eternity. It would grant Eren immortality, a portion of his mate’s power, and an unbreakable bond with Levi.

But if he didn’t mark Eren, he’d surely starve. He’d already waited so long to find him, there wasn’t much time left.

How the hell was he supposed to handle the situation? Some would probably mark Eren while he slept soundly to avoid a panicked struggle, but Levi couldn’t bring himself to do something so disgusting. Still, it was rather tempting as the scent of those freshly picked apples nearly choked him. Thank the demon who cursed him that he didn’t need air to breathe.

Levi sighed, continuing to brush his fingers through Eren’s long hair. He twirled the strands around his fingers and dreamed upon the slightest chance that Eren would actually be okay with this entire situation. Levi hated it too, but there weren’t many other options. Somehow, he’d have to prove to Eren that Levi wasn’t like the others. Somehow, he’d have to set things right.

A few more hours passed in silence until they’d finally arrived at the Ackerman Estate. The old, creaking black iron gates opened as they approached and Mike took the car around the circle drive to drop the two passengers off at the front door. Levi carried Eren inside, only to find the entirety of his family waiting in the atrium with curious eyes. It seemed like it had been forever since the echoing atrium had seen so many people at once. Normally, the changelings would meander around the estate busying themselves with their own affairs. Like magic, Eren was bringing them all together at once.

“I’ll take him for you,” Farlan offered. He’d been with Levi the longest and had learned not to treat him so formally.

“No,” Levi shook his head, clutching Eren to his chest a little tighter. “I’m going to wait for him to wake up. Keep your distance.”

Several surprised murmurs broke out amongst the group and they parted to let him pass up the grand staircase and down the hallway to his bedroom. After years of convincing, Levi finally let Petra spruce up the entire estate with new furnishings, floors, and paint. He had to admit, she did a fucking fantastic job. His new mattress literally felt like a cloud and he was more than happy to set Eren into the feathery blankets and plush pillows. He pulled the scarlet comforter up to Eren’s chin, only to have the man thrash around on the mattress until his limbs were tangled up in the sheets and the blanket was haphazardly strewn across his legs. Levi found it adorable how he nuzzled his face against the pillows, smiling in his sleep and letting out more of those adorable, pleased little sounds.

His fingers brushed over Eren’s neck, admiring the blueish purple veins and how they stuck out against his tanned skin. The urge to get another mouthful of that delicious crimson was overwhelming, but he had waited years and knew he could wait for just a few hours longer. Eren’s scent was clouding around them in the most delicious way and Levi was breathing heavily just to take it in. His fingers brushed up his neck and along his jawline, grazing over his lips.

 _Snap._ Eren’s eyes flashed open and he took a bite at Levi’s fingers, catching them between his teeth and biting _hard._ He growled into it and glared up at Levi while keeping that tight grip on his finger. Teeth sunk into the flesh and Eren’s lips were dripping with Levi’s blood. It rolled down his lower lip in a little stream and down his chin. When Levi didn’t jump or back away quickly, Eren paused and Levi could see his eyes darting around the room to look for some kind of option on what to do next.

“Let go,” Levi calmly commanded, his voice thick with an Alpha dominance that would make anyone obey. He cursed himself inwardly for using a command on Eren as the first thing he could say, but to his surprise Eren didn’t back down. He kept his jaw locked and his stare sharp. “Eren…?”

A spark of recognition finally covered Eren’s face. He released Levi from his grip and snarled, “ _You._ You’re the one who ruined my escape! You’re the one who stopped me!”

“Your fate was inevitable, you know,” Levi sighed, leaning back against the headboard. “They’d just end up catching you again. It didn’t seem like you really though that plan all the way through.”

“Well…” Eren chewed on his lip, caught in the truth. “Who the fuck are you anyway?”

“Levi. Vampire.”

“Obviously.”

This really wasn’t going the way Levi imagined. He took in a deep breath to relax his inner tension and try again. “Look, I don’t know what sort of fucked up image you have of vampires in your head and I get why you’re angry. This isn’t exactly a great way to meet for the first time.”

Eren crawled off the bed and stumbled a few clumsy steps back until crashing down on the chaise sofa by the window. The distance seemed to calm him down and he slowly nodded in agreement, “It’s fucked up. All of it.”

“Maybe we can make something good out of a bad situation,” Levi offered. He had no idea what sort of shit the kid went through just to end up in a vampire’s bedroom chambers, but it probably wasn’t easy or nice. “You won’t survive out there by yourself. There’s no way. But you can stay here and I can get you whatever you want. I’m assuming you avoided getting caught for something, right?”

His voice was smaller than before and his eyes cast downward, “My mom.”

“Oh, you wanted to be with your mom? Where is she? She can come live here with us,” Levi was more than happy to abide. If all he wanted was to have a happy life with his mom involved, Levi could work with that. He’d heard of other vampires doing crazier things to please their newly found Omegas.

Eren looked at him oddly for a moment before turning away completely and muttering, “She’s dead. They killed her.”

“They…?” Levi narrowed his eyes until he realized what had actually happened. The TR agents most likely killed her after finding Eren, a death sentence for hiding Eren for so long. “Well, where is she?”

“What do you mean where is she?” he turned and was glaring again. Levi would have believed him to have a permanently angry expression if he hadn’t seen him smile in his sleep. He hissed, “Probably still lying on the floor in our house with a bullet in her skull. Where do you think she is, idiot? Up and walking around with a fucking gunshot wound to the head?”

Levi had to remind himself not to lose his patience. “If you know where her body is, I can bring her back, you know.”

Eren leapt up from his spot and nearly pounced on Levi, straddling his lap and grabbing him by the shoulders to pull his face in close. “Are you serious?” he scanned Levi’s eyes for any sort of untruthfulness.

The sudden contact had Levi’s heart pounding in a way it hadn’t for centuries. Eren’s body was warm on top of him and his mouth was nearly watering as that potent apple scent washed over him. The emotions carried through the scent were hopeful rather than defensive. “I’m serious. I wouldn’t lie to you,” Levi returned, keeping his voice steady as it threatened to falter. “Where’s your home?”

“Shiganshina,” Eren dropped his hold on Levi and scrambled off him. He patted himself down as if to remember that he was wearing decent clothes and looked wildly at Levi with expectant eyes. “Well, come on! Are we going? We’ve got to go get her! Turn into a bat or something so we can fly there faster!”

“You know nothing of vampires, do you?” Levi chuckled. “Come on, I’ve got a quick way.” He got off the bed and extended his arms out as an invitation for Eren to come closer. Without any hesitation, Eren stepped within arm’s reach and Levi effortlessly picked him up bridal style. He had an inkling of a thought that his speed could have broken Eren’s bones or something from the whiplash but he took the chance anyway and tucked him closely against his chest as a lame precaution. With a quick zip through the house he’d memorized for years, he made it to the attached six-car garage and plopped Eren down next to a black Suzuki Hayabusa. “Get on, wear this, and we’ll go,” Levi tossed Eren a helmet and a black, leather jacket. He hadn’t had an accident in his entire lifetime but with Eren on board, he’d rather be tremendously safe than traumatizing sorry.

“You can’t run with me all the way there?” Eren raised an eyebrow, poking at the helmet and the microphone system inside.

“Not with you while you’re unmarked. Wouldn’t want to break you. This’ll be safer.” He put on his own helmet and got on the bike, waiting for Eren to join him. As he expected, Eren didn’t waste a minute to go get his mom back. She seemed to be the driving force of everything he did. He popped his helmet on with significant effort and awkwardly tried to find somewhere to hold on to. Levi reached behind to grab Eren’s wrists and wrap them around his own waist. He clicked on the microphone to both their helmets and clicked the button attached to his bike to open up the garage door. “Hold on tight,” he warned before taking off down the road.

Unlike the city, Shiganshina wasn’t too far from where his estate was located. He was surprised to know that Eren had been living his life undercover so closely yet so far. The town was small and barely existent, exempt of any new technology that required a prick to the finger for any sort of access. It was no wonder his mother kept him hidden away there in the small farming town.

They sped through old roads with browning crops on either side. The dawn light crept over the horizon and before long, Levi knew he’d have to retreat back indoors. The risk was worth it to appease Eren’s needs. He drove far beyond the speed limit but couldn’t care less. If any sort of police officer stopped him, all he would have to do was show his face and they’d be too afraid to do anything about it.

“It’s the little house on the corner,” Eren shouted through the microphone. His arms were wrapped tightly around Levi’s middle and his helmet was digging into Levi’s spine. After their initial meeting, he would have expected a little more reserve. Instead, Eren was gripping onto the big, scary vampire like a fucking lifeline.

“You scared?” he asked, baffled by the behavior.

“I’ve never gone this fast before,” he admitted with a little nervous laugh. “It’s awesome! But it’s also really fast.”

“I won’t crash,” Levi tried to assure him. If he enjoyed the speed, he might as well enjoy it without fear poking at his sides. “You’re safe.”

Eren hummed a doubtful acknowledgement and turned his head a bit to watch the scenery. The moment they’d started to approach the tiny town, though, he perked up to get a better view. Levi started to slow down to a more reasonable, but still rushed, pace through town. The last thing he wanted to do was run over one of Eren’s precious neighbors or some shit.

“Turn left here and it should be…” Eren was leaning against Levi and peering over his shoulder. His voice dropped off when they pulled up to a black, crumbling lot with the remnants of a small house. Burnt beams were barely standing in the ashes and lumps of scorched furniture. The roof had caved in and the shingles dug into the charred carpet. The entire thing looked like it was going to turn into dust at any moment.

Eren shucked off his helmet and threw it at Levi, running toward the lot while screaming, “Mom! Mom?”

“Eren, don’t!” Levi yelled while taking off his own helmet and abandoning his bike in favor of running after the younger.

Eren fell into the ashes and started sweeping his fingers through the dust, still shrieking incoherently. “He’s going to bring you back! He’s going to fix it!” Eren cried. He started throwing burnt bits of wood aside as he clawed through the floor. “We’ll be together again!”

Levi crouched down next to Eren and set a gentle hand on his shoulder. When he did, Eren just jerked away and kept on his rabid quest to dig his way through the rubble.

Fearful of what he might find if he kept at it, Levi put a more aggressive grip on Eren’s shoulder and spoke with a low voice, “Eren, if she’s still here… if she was here when they set fire to your home… I can’t do anything. I can’t turn a human unless their body is fully intact and mostly unharmed.”

“You… you said you would!” Eren burst, turning to push Levi away from him with a force that nearly toppled him over. When Levi didn’t budge, Eren pulled his elbow back and socked him in the nose. When that still didn’t move the vampire, he hurled his entire body at him with a growling roar.

The two tumbled through the ashes of Eren’s old home in a fit of coughing and Eren throwing weak punches. Rubble dug into their backs and arms as Eren’s fury carried them across the lot. When Levi attempted to steady them, and pick Eren up to carry them out of the scorched destruction, Eren just pulled him back into the mess.

“You promised! You’d give her back to me! You said you could!”

“I didn’t fucking know they burnt the house down!” Levi lost his patience and yelled right back.

“How was I supposed to fucking know those bastards torched it?” Eren sobbed. “Now she’s fucking _gone_! She’s… she’s…” Eren’s body quivered and went weak against Levi. He took the opportunity to pick Eren up and take him to the street. They were both filthy and covered in ash. Eren kept coughing up dusts of smoke and the tears streaked down through the ash on his cheeks. His eyes were burning red and he gripped at Levi’s filthy shirt with whatever strength he had left. “She’s gone,” he kept repeating, as if he still couldn’t believe it.

Levi had dulled his sense of sympathy toward the dead throughout his lifetimes. He refused to get close to any humans for their lives were so fleeting, they’d just eventually die. The feeling of dread over a lost loved one was a forgotten feeling but watching Eren mourn was bringing it all back at full force.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. It was all he could say. The pathetic two words would never give Eren what he needed or serve any sort of justice for how Levi really felt. It was all he had in his artillery and all he could express. “I’m sorry.”

They left the scene without another word. Eren gripped onto Levi’s middle the entire way back to the estate, though it was loose as if he wouldn’t mind flinging himself off the back of the bike. Levi kept his attention on that grip to make sure Eren wouldn’t let go.

After parking in the garage and taking off the gear, Levi led Eren back to the bedroom. Luckily enough, the changelings were smart enough to give them some space and kept themselves out of sight. With the morning light eminent in the skies, he guessed they were all sleeping anyway. Changelings and vampires were sensitive to the sun’s light as it burned their skin and dulled their senses. Most used the sunlight hours as an opportunity to get some sleep. After years of exposing himself to it little by little, Levi could take a little bit of sunshine without harm. Usually it just made him extremely tired.

Eren slumped himself onto the chaise sofa and stared blankly at the floor. Unsure of what else to do, Levi dug through his wardrobe to get out a pair of soft sweatpants and a white t-shirt. He set the bundle down next to Eren. “Here’s some fresh clothes. There’s a bathroom just through there if you want to wash up.” Eren didn’t react.

Deciding to give him some space, Levi let himself into the bathroom and left the door open. He stripped down and hopped into the shower for a quick rinse. After scrubbing the soot and ashes off his skin, he turned the water off and threw a towel around his waist only to find Eren standing in the middle bathroom.

“You need my blood, right?” he spoke emotionlessly and cocked his head to the side to expose those pulsing purple veins. “Take it.”

Levi took a few careful steps forward, wondering what the hell had gotten into the fiery Omega. “Eren…?” Levi tilted his own head in confusion. “Come on, let’s get you into the shower first and we’ll talk about it.” The last thing he wanted to do was sink his teeth into the kid when he was distraught with grief and suffering.

Eren took a few steps to shorten the gap between them and grabbed Levi by the hair, forcing his face into his neck. The potent scent of spices and apples nearly made Levi choke. “ _Take it,_ ” Eren demanded gruffly. He held Levi’s head firmly against him with the iron grip, leaving little doubt in his voice at all.

Levi’s jaw relaxed and fell open to reveal two pearly white fangs ready to dive into the soot-coated, sun-kissed skin. He imagined biting into his precious apple and the deliciously red color of Eren’s blood. With just an inch away, a little taste wouldn’t hurt, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! Thanks for joining me for another chapter! I do hope you enjoyed it! There's still so much more to come, I hope you're just as excited as I am! What's _your_ blood type?
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	3. Chapter 3

Eren’s grip on Levi’s scalp started to sting and Eren gripped even harder, pushing Levi’s face into his neck even more, when Levi didn’t bite down into his flesh. “Come on, what’s taking so long? You need this, right? Just go ahead and take it.”

“Why?” Levi had to ask. The shitty, righteous part of his brain that he thought died a few decades ago sprang back to life. He couldn’t just relish in self-indulgence like he wanted. He needed the reason. He wouldn’t let Eren push himself into something he wasn’t ready for due to grief or lost hope. Levi knew enough about the two and understood what fucked up shit they could make you do. He remembered the darkness of losing everything and what it could bring someone to try. “What’s with the sudden change of heart?”

“I got to live my entire life in fear, but it was fine because it was for her. Now she’s fucking gone and I’ve ended up in the exact place she was trying to save me from. So, what’s the point? I’m sick of being afraid. I’m tired of running. If this is how it’s going to be, then so be it.” He let go of Levi out of exhaustion and stared at the floor. “I’m done running away. Just do it.”

From there, the decision was an easy one to make. “I’m not going to bite you.”

Eren stared up at him with huge eyes and his mouth twisted in a shape of both shock and anger. “ _What_?”

“I’m not going to bite you. Not like this.” Levi shrugged passively and strode to the wardrobe. He threw his towel into the hamper and picked out a comfortable outfit to wear for the rest of the day. With the sun rising higher and higher in the sky, he was getting drowsier. He found some dark grey sweatpants and tossed them on, calling it good. When he spun around back toward Eren, the boy was still standing there dumbfounded. “You look like a carp,” Levi tossed a casual, snarky joke Eren’s way in hopes to lighten the mood. Hell knew they needed it.

“I don’t… understand…” Eren’s mouth was still gaping like a fish out of water. He fell back onto the bed in an effort to sit down and squinted at Levi.

With a little sigh, Levi strode over to the bed and towered over Eren. His feet were planted on either side of Eren’s and he leaned over a bit. Eren leaned back in response until his back hit the mattress. Levi’s pure domination of the situation had Eren looking afraid. He was shaking like a leaf due to shock, grief, and fear. His hollowed cheeks and pale face spoke of his malnourishment. “If I took any of your blood now, you’d faint. When you’d wake up, you’d be immortal, share my powers, and be bonded to me for life. Is that something you really want to walk into while in this state? I’ve got a feeling it’s a choice you’d regret.”

Eren’s expression softened and he finally seemed to relax and think. He averted his gaze and a flush covered his cheeks and ears. It was rather cute despite his obvious distress and it made him horribly tempting. That pinkish hue colored his neck beautifully and a spike of nerves had his scent peaking in potency around them. In a way, it was unfair how transparent Eren’s emotions were to Levi based on his scent alone, but it was a helpful way to help gauge his heart and mind. It seemed to be just another aspect of vampires that helped them lure in their prey.

Instead of looming over him some more, Levi sat on the bed next to Eren and left a little room in between them for comfort’s sake. “I get it, you’re overwhelmed and have been through way too fucking much in a short span of time. I don’t want to add on another burden,” he spoke to the floor.

“But it’ll have to happen eventually, right?” Eren’s eyes were on the carpet as well. The two of them couldn’t find the strength to actually look each other in the eye.

Levi didn’t want to say ‘yes’. It felt too wrong, condemning the boy to a life he’d sacrificed everything to avoid. The silence was an affirmation enough, he figured, and Eren seemed to get it too. Their path was certain, but the timespan of it all not. If they could control the minutes before the marking, at least they had something. It wouldn’t be easy, but that little bit of control was worth it.

Then Levi wasn’t sure what to do. Eren was softly sniffling beside him and it’d been years since he had to actually comfort someone. It was especially difficult when he knew he was the root cause of distress. Well, not him personally but the vampires in general. When in doubt, he usually had the same answer. “Want some tea?”

With a weird, tired laugh Eren was nodding. He probably thought a cup of tea was a ridiculous way to move forward. With that affirmation, the two left the bedroom in favor of the kitchen down the staircase.

Pureblood vampires couldn’t eat or drink anything besides blood. It was just another curse added into the package of being an immortal abomination. To Levi, the kitchen was pointless and rarely visited. It seemed to taunt him with the most delicious looking fruits and desserts. After years of practice and lots of vomit, he gave up on the idea of stomaching any human food ever again. He supposed the earth created it for living mammals, not undead bloodsuckers. Even though he wasn’t able to digest that sort of thing, he didn’t forget how to make a damn good cup of tea. It was one of his best tricks, in his personal opinion.

The kitchen had Petra’s touch to it as well. It was previously rather old fashioned, complete with dusty floral wall paper. She took Levi’s credit card and turned it into a modern luxury. Dark, heavy drapes shielded them from the sunlight poking through the windows. A series of dark wood cabinets decorated the walls, matching the countertops underneath. The LED lighting under the cabinets lit up the granite countertops, shined to perfection. Levi hated how beautiful it all was and that he couldn’t even utilize the damn place.

Eren took a seat in one of the stools sitting at the island countertops in the center of the room. Levi stood on the other side, plugging in the electric kettle and digging through the cabinets. He couldn’t remember where Petra put everything even though she gave him an in-depth explanation of it all after it was organized. While he couldn’t indulge in food, the rest of his family members could. The perks of being a changeling were astronomical in Levi’s opinion.

“I thought vampires couldn’t eat food,” Eren criticized from his spot, eyeing the spacious kitchen. “What’s the point of all this?”

“I can’t eat, but the changelings can,” he explained the thoughts he was just having.

“Changelings?”

“Do you not know anything about vampires?”

“I know I hate them, that’s it,” he spoke quite seriously. It was a stab to Levi’s useless heart, but he seriously couldn’t blame the guy.

“Vampires are pure blooded, Type A, Alpha bastards that were cursed. Changelings were once humans, changed by a pureblood. They have Type AB blood and are a half-way between vampire and human. They drink Type B blood which is why they don’t have to go around desperately searching for a proper blood match. I don’t care if you call them vampires or not, usually they have a preference though. It’s polite to ask before throwing that word around.”

“So, there are more people living here than just you? You changed them all? Is that blond goon that was with you at the hotel here?”

“Yeah, Mike lives here as do some other changelings. There are some humans who live here too. I didn’t change them all, either. I don’t go around damning just anyone, you know? That shit hurts.” Levi roamed around the kitchen and started cutting up a lone, shiny red apple that was sitting in the fridge. He pondered whether or not it belonged to someone in the family but figured they’d get over him stealing it. It was for a good cause.

“So there are humans here too?” Eren perked up.

“A few.”

“Buy them too?” The malice in his voice was unmistakable.

“Some befriended the changelings and joined us. Others burst in through the front door and refused to leave like stray cats.” Levi chose to ignore Eren’s anger in favor of calmly explaining how they lived. He figured that vehemence would die with a little more understanding. Eren’s view of vampires was nothing but darkness, so what would happen if he could see the little bit of light?

“Whoever comes in here and wants to stay must be some kind of suicidal bastard,” he huffed, watching Levi’s movements carefully. The knife in Levi’s hand probably put him on edge. It was silly, really. If Levi really wanted to hurt him, he wouldn’t waste his time on a weapon.

“Perhaps,” Levi shrugged. “Or perhaps they just found something worth sticking around for.” He set the apples on a dainty little plate and set it in front of Eren along with a fork. While he glared at the fruit, Levi fixed the tea.

“How do I know you’re not going to drug me or something?” Eren eyed the apple slices with a watering mouth. He was obviously hungry but refraining.

“They’re cut into rabbits. How could they be poisonous?”

“Just because they look like rabbits doesn’t mean they’re not dangerous. Actually, it makes them even more dangerous.”

“Does it, really?”

“Yeah, they look cute and innocent. But after I eat them, you’ll kill me or something.”

“That would be rather wasteful, don’t you think?”

Eren was caught in the net of logic and paused for a second to come up with a new argument. “How do I know I’m the only Type O person here? I know some vampires have a few. What if I’m just a midnight snack?”

“If you don’t want the apple, that’s fine,” Levi went to grab for the plate to take it away, a test to see if Eren’s stubbornness outweighed his body’s need for sustenance. Apparently, it was the wrong move when Eren’s hand whipped out for the fork. He raised it into the air and plunged it down into Levi’s hand. The prongs stabbed right through his skin in the cruelest manner and forced a hiss of pain out from between Levi’s fangs. “What the _fuck_?” he blurted out in shock.

“That’s for buying me like fucking livestock. That’s for making my life hell. That’s for my mom. And that’s for giving me hope,” Eren snarled. He grabbed the plate of apples and took a bite out of a slice, the crunch echoing in Levi’s ears. He stalked out of the kitchen, leaving the injured vampire behind.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Levi cursed in excruciation while tearing the fork out of his hand. Eren had really gotten it in there. The stainless steel dripped with dark, old blood when he finally ripped it out. While he healed faster than humans, he still wrapped his hand up in a clean dish towel to keep himself from bleeding everywhere. Later he’d have to properly bandage the wound. Years without drinking blood meant a prolonged healing time. He’d have that wound for a few days before everything regenerated properly.

In the meantime, he’d stare longingly at Eren’s teacup and attempt to come up with some kind of plan to make things work.

* * *

Petra hummed to herself happily as she dusted off the new furniture she’d purchased for the study. The room had smelled of moth balls and death for too long. Soon enough, she’d have every room of the house renewed and renovated. It was much more livable than when she’d first arrived in the household. The vampires and changelings didn’t seem to care about their disintegrating household and the other humans were busy with their own ventures. It was difficult to find anyone to relate to when half of her family was undead and the other half were living in their own world. It was always rewarding when Levi would comment on how the place looked much nicer than before. The one compliment made all her efforts worth it in the end.

She exchanged the shag carpet for marble flooring and fluffy rugs. The molding bookshelves were burnt much to her pleasure, and she (with Mike’s help) installed new ones that lined the walls around the room. She put some heavy drapes over the many windows and dotted the floor with desks, longue chairs, and huge bean bags perfect for reading. The books still smelled old, some of them out-aged herself, but there was something oddly comforting about it. They were mixed in with newer novels, all organized alphabetically.

Petra tried to keep most of the houseplants in the study as well so she could open up the curtains and give them the sunlight they needed. She enjoyed the few hours a day she got to spend by herself, basking in the light and mulling around the house while the others slept. It was peaceful, comforting, and laidback.

The huge wooden doors creaked open and slammed shut. Eren, Levi’s Omega, rested his back against the closed door and panted for air. He didn’t seem to expect her and his eyes widened at her presence.

When he turned around to bolt away, she held up a hand to stop him, “Wait!”

Luckily, he paused and turned back to see what she had to say.

“You’re Eren, yes? Please stay. I won’t hurt you or anything. I’m a human too.”

“You’re human? You’re human,” he was still breathing heavily and obviously lost in a myriad of thought. She sympathized, only imagining the hell he had to go through just to end up in a vampire’s household. To Eren, Levi and the others were probably all monsters.

“Please, sit,” she plopped herself down on one of the comfiest sofas and patted the spot next to her.

He cautiously joined, looking around the room with a pointed glare. She guessed he was looking to see if they were alone and when he confirmed they were, he visibly relaxed. “Sorry,” he mumbled, toying with a piece of apple in his hand. It was cut into a bunny rabbit and she suspected Levi had done it for him. She also wondered if that was the apple Farlan was saving for his seven o’clock in the evening breakfast.

“It’s fine, you’re fine,” she softly smiled at him. “It’s been a rough day, hm?”

“It really has,” he wouldn’t meet her eye line, but he didn’t have to in order for her to know he was completely distraught. He looked like he would shatter at any moment and she wanted to cry for him. There were no words to make him feel better or mend what had been broken. No magic, action, or miracle would right the wrongs of humanity and the world they lived in.

“Did you want to stay here with me for a bit?” she offered. “We can open up the windows and let in some light.”

He slowly nodded. When she got up to open up the curtains, he grabbed for her wrist. “It’s fine, I won’t go far. I won’t leave you,” she slowly assured. When she did, he let go and allowed her to walk a few feet to open up the drapes a little, letting in a streak of sunlight washing over the sofa. With that little ray of shining light, she returned to Eren and let him rest his head in her lap. In no time at all, his breathing steadied and he was sleeping rather soundly.

In hopes to not wake him, she managed to get her phone out of her pocket and browsed social media and went through her pictures. She looked up some recipes she wanted to try and got a new high score on the game she’d recently become obsessed with. All the while, her fingers gently pet at Eren’s long, fluffy hair and she started to get drowsy herself.

As she suspected, Levi poked his head in the study. He must have started to get worried about Eren and went looking for him. She was honestly surprised he’d waited so long, but when she saw the bandages wrapped around his hand she squinted at him in confusion.

“He stabbed me with a fork,” he whispered quite flatly, taking a seat on the armchair across from them, effectively avoiding the streak of sunlight and staying in the shadows. Levi was much better at handling the sunlight than the others, but she knew it still pained him.

“He _what_?” she had to hold in a laugh.

“Yeah, he got me really good. For a slight little thing, he’s got some power.”

“I thought, you of all people, would know that amazing strength can come in small packages,” she winked.

“If you make one more joke about being taller than me, I’m kicking you out,” he threatened with a little smile. After years of getting to know him, she could tell when he was joking. When he’d first taken her in as a child, she thought he was the scariest person in the whole world. Now, she could see through that tough exterior and admire the softness underneath.

He gazed at Eren with a strange look that she’d never seen on him before. It looked good on him, whatever it was. “Thanks for taking care of him,” he finally spoke.

“I’m sure knowing another human around here is comforting,” she shrugged. “Who knows what he’s been told about vampires, he’s probably frightened to the core.”

“He may be afraid but he’s sure not shy about it,” Levi rubbed at his hand with a little smile.

Petra wiped away another tear that leaked out of the corner of Eren’s eye before it could streak down the bridge of his nose. He’d been crying in his sleep for a while, letting go tears he kept so stoically while awake. “Are you going to mark him soon?”

“I can’t,” he shook his head. “Not like this.”

“If you wait any longer, you’ll die. You’ve been getting weaker every day without the blood…” She pushed a few stray strands of hair away from Eren’s neck, rubbing a thumb over where the puncture wounds would go. “You can’t keep fasting forever.” It was a horrible position for Eren, but it had to be done.

“Not yet,” Levi firmly stated, making it clear that he was not going to change his mind. “He looks like he’s near death as well. Our priority is to make sure he’s healthy first. That’ll be your job.”

“ _My_ job?” she raised an eyebrow at him. “Wouldn’t it be better for you two to bond?”

“You’re better at this stuff than I am, he seems to trust you, and I’d rather not stress him out more than I already have. Let’s just get him comfortable first and go from there.”

“Sure…” she had to agree with his logic. Eren looked like he was about to wither away and was overdue for a bath. “I guess this is a good start to get him on a nocturnal schedule. Did you explain the house rules? That’s he’s free to make himself at home? Everyone that lives here?”

“Uh, not really,” he stared at her dumbfounded.

“Levi!” she hissed in scolding, finding the nearest object (a throw pillow) by her to throw at him. “You’re hopeless, I swear.”

“Other things got in the way of that,” he defended himself. “It’s not like he willingly came here or anything. I’m not going to play host when he hates me so much.”

“He doesn’t hate _you_ , he hates the concept of you,” she reminded him.

“Gee, thanks, that helps,” he sarcastically returned.

“No problem,” she offered him a cheeky smile and looked down at Eren. “You better get him into bed. My leg is falling asleep. I’ll help him along with our new lifestyle and get him fed, but you’re going to be responsible for everything else.”

Levi looked between the sunlight they were bathing in and Eren, obviously knowing he’d feel the burn. Petra didn’t make a move to help, though. If Levi wanted to bond with Eren and set things right, he’d have to go through a little pain to do it. Perhaps she was a sadist at heart. He bore the sunlight and scooped Eren up off the sofa, promptly carrying him back to their bedroom.

* * *

Levi adjusted the blankets around Eren and was happy to see him sleeping peacefully again. Just like before, Eren was already squirming in bed until he got a grasp on Levi’s pillow and snuggled up with it. His long legs tangled around the blankets and his hair was a tangled mess around him.

He was grateful Eren found Petra. She’d always had keen maternal instincts and seemed to know what to do no matter what. He held the utmost respect for her and never regret the day he brought her home. She’d grown into a beautiful young woman with a heart of gold, one of the few people he fully trusted enough to interact with Eren. If anyone could help Eren see kindness in a monster, it was her.

There was so much uncharted territory between himself and Eren, it was daunting. From the looks of his little farm house, he’d led a rather solitary life with his mother. He noticed a burnt garden out back and wondered if Eren enjoyed flowers. There were plenty of books and scorched pages in the rubble, did he like to read? The only thing Levi really knew about Eren was that he had the passion of a thousand suns, hated demons of the night, and he could work a fork like a silver dagger. All were rather charming in their own ways, but Levi craved more.

He was fucking tired but didn’t dare share the bed with Eren for fear he’d overstep any boundaries. There was also the fact Eren had sprawled out like a starfish in the middle of the bed, leaving no room for Levi to join in anyway. Instead, he sat on the end and watched over Eren’s sleeping face like a fucking creep.

It was mad, wasn’t it? To be so infatuated with a stranger? Eren’s spiced apple scent was filling the room in the loveliest way and Levi wanted to drift away in it. His growing need to be closer to Eren would swallow him whole and Levi wasn’t going to do anything about it. In all his years of searching for an Omega, he’d found the most alluring, frustrating, and beautiful one imaginable. He was blindingly reaching out for Eren with every passing minute, wanting nothing but his happy heart in return. Someday, he hoped, Eren would reach back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I am so pleased you are all enjoying his one! Seriously, I'm overjoyed. Thank you all so much for your support and encouragement. It means so much! I'm wishing you all happy days to come <3
> 
> For clarification:  
> Type A/Alpha: Pureblood Vampires (There aren't many of these guys left)  
> Type AB/Betas: Changelings (Half-Vampires, Half-Humans)  
> Type B/Betas: Humans  
> Type O/Omegas: Humans or Marked Humans (Not many of these guys either, we'll learn more about vampire markings later too!)
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	4. Chapter 4

Eren woke up around sunset and looked around to see that he was in Levi’s bedroom again. The room was empty and Eren was happy for it. For at least an hour he was just crying silently into the damp pillow under his head. Dread surrounded him and he felt like he was trapped in the darkness. The only person he’d ever known and loved in the world was gone. He was in the clutches of the only enemy he’d ever conceived. In a whirlwind of a humiliating night, he was thrown into a giant and intimidating household with a bunch of strangers, both human and monster. As much as he wanted to stay calm and figure out his surroundings and situation, it wasn’t easy.

How would anyone get over the death of someone important to them? How did people get up the next day and function? How could they cope with, all of a sudden, feeling so alone in the world that it just wasn’t worth trying?

Still, he had to at least try. He could hear his mother’s voice in his head scolding him for it. The last thing she would want him to do was just give up. She’d always tell him that if he didn’t fight, he was admitting defeat. And he definitely didn’t like to lose. He allowed himself another hour of silent mourning before he knew he couldn’t stay still any longer. It wasn’t the fact that he was ready to move on, but rather he was simply unable to face the dark quiet any longer.

He moseyed into the en suite bathroom, taking in his surroundings as he slowly passed through. Everything was fancy, though he wasn’t surprised about it. All vampires had money, their immortality really gave them an edge economically. Eren had always imagined them living in some medieval castle, sleeping in a coffin instead of a much-too comfortable bed that was way bigger than the king-sized ones he’d seen in movies. He figured they wouldn't have any mirrors around because they couldn’t see themselves, not an entire mirrored wall in the bathroom reflecting off the rest of the lavish bathroom. Black tiles flecked with gold and white ran across the floor and up the walls. The countertop was sparkling clean and organized. A tub sat under a little window and there was a separate shower off to the side.

Eren ran himself a shower and stood under the much too-hot water until his finger pads were wrinkled and pruned. All the dust and dirt that had smeared across his skin was dripping off him in dark droplets. He had to use Levi’s shampoo and body wash to cleanse away the previous day. The steam clouded his memories of being taken from his home and strapped down to that chair. The water rinsed out the terrors of being trapped in a cage and showed off like livestock. He scrubbed his hair and scratched away at the anger, frustration, and malice growing steadily in his heart. He watched as the water ran down his body, spiraled around his feet, and disappeared down the drain. If only the pain in his mind would do the same as the dirt on his body and vanish, leaving him pure and clean. But he wasn’t and he wouldn’t be, not for a long while. He had to admit, the shower _did_ help him feel the tiniest bit better. At least he didn’t feel as grimy and his skin was warmed nicely.

He snooped, attempting to get a better grasp of his surroundings. The dark wood bathroom cabinets were full of neatly organized soaps, bath salts, and oils. All the towels were folded to perfection, stacked, grey, and fluffy as hell. Eren used one and threw it into a hamper that sat in the corner. He stared down his dirty clothes the TRA had forced onto him. A shiver ran down his spine at the thought of putting them back on. Instead, he wrapped a towel around his waist and resumed his snooping out into the bedroom.

Just as he exited the bathroom, he was shocked by a presence in the room. In his surprise, he dropped the towel around his waist and stood frozen, bare naked, in front of Petra. With little to no romantic experience whatsoever, he bolted back to the bathroom and slammed the door shut while heavily breathing to keep himself from screaming with embarrassment. The only other person he’d ever been naked in front of was his mom when he was little. His cheeks were hot and he slapped a hand over his own mouth in pure mortification.

“Eren?” Petra called from the other side of the door. “Sorry I startled you like that! I came in here to bring you some clean clothes. Levi picked some out for you while you were asleep, he figured you’d want something a little more comfortable. I saw the bathroom door was shut and it was so quiet, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Eren had no idea how to respond. He leaned back against the wooden door and held his cheeks in his hands. “Uh, thanks,” he finally got out.

“I’ll leave them on the bed, here! Feel free to join me in the kitchen when you’re dressed!” she called back cheerfully.

He didn’t dare come out until he heard the bedroom door close again. Once the coast was clear, he scurried out and threw on what was left for him. Luckily, everything fit perfectly. The simple, black pair of underwear were illegally soft. Softness carried on through the black sweatpants and grey t-shirt as well. Eren even donned on the dark green sweater and socks too. There wasn’t a single part of him that was cold anymore and he couldn’t deny he was comfortable as hell. He didn’t know a lot about fashion, but he did know the brands weren’t cheap whatsoever. He couldn’t have cared less about the price tag, though. As long as they were warm and comfy, that was all that really mattered anyway. If that vampire was trying to impress him or something, it wasn’t going to work. Eren wasn’t sure he’d ever see that guy as anything but a bloodsucking bastard.

As much as his heart wanted him to hide under a blanket for the rest of eternity, his stomach demanded for him to head to the kitchen. Eren was used to being hungry, but he’d really gone too long without a proper meal. Rather than risk another fainting spell, he beat down his inner humiliation and followed the familiar path to the kitchen.

As he walked, he craned his neck to get a good view of the place. There were tons of different hallways on the top floor, all of them sprawling out from a little circular balcony from the main staircase. Plush carpeting allowed him to walk as quietly as possible, looking upon the various portraits hanging on the walls. Most of them were decorative, featuring landscapes and flowers. A few of them were photographs of people Eren didn’t know. There was one of them with Petra, Levi, Mike, and a few others in it. They all looked happy, most of them were laughing or making silly faces. They looked like a bunch of really good friends from Eren’s perspective.

He made his way to the lower floor where he followed the path of his memory to the huge kitchen. Everything was rather dark with the heavy curtains pulled over the windows, blocking out the natural light. Eren would have normally found it depressing, but the dimmer lighting helped his head stop throbbing so much.

Just like she said she would be, Petra was behind the island cutting up some apples. Her face lit up when she saw Eren and, much to Eren’s delight, she acted as if the little situation between them hadn’t happened. “Eren! Good evening! I was just putting together some breakfast. Well, dinner… I call it breakfast. I suppose it’s more of a brunch now…” her rambling showed off her own embarrassment, but it was almost comforting to know that Eren wasn’t the only one suffering. “Ah, anyway! Please, sit! Do you like coffee or tea? Water? Juice?” She opened up the fridge and Eren noticed it was much fuller than it had been that morning. Petra was quick to explain, “Levi didn’t know what you’d like. He wrote me a list that just said _get everything_ on it. In fact, he was going to go out and grocery shop himself, but I stopped him. That man would be miserable at picking out good food. Not as bad as some, but still rather pathetic. I’ll have to tell you about the time he joined me once on a whim. It was hilarious.”

“Orange juice is fine,” Eren answered her original question and didn’t touch on the fact that she’d been very obviously talking up Levi to him. Nothing she said would change Eren’s mind and judgement anyway. A vampire was a vampire, no matter how terrible they were at shopping for groceries or how thoughtful they were for getting him some clean clothes.

Petra poured him a glass into a crystal goblet and slid it over to him. He sat up at the breakfast bar again, downing the glass in mere seconds. It didn’t hit him how thirsty he was until he was into his second glass.

Petra made him eggs, toast, and bacon and chatted with him in the liveliest manner the entire time. He felt bad for making her do all the work, but when he attempted to help she slapped his hand away and told him to just sit and relax. The delicious aroma of their brunch had his stomach growling like crazy and before he knew it, he was stuffing his face like a madman. Petra took the seat next to him and ate too, giggling about how Eren was like a vacuum as he sucked up his meal.

“It’s just so delicious,” he defended himself. He was in a much better mood after eating and found himself smiling even. “You’re a great cook.”

“Thanks, I do a pretty good job at feeding everyone around here. Hange, Moblit and I are the only ones who really eat on a normal schedule. Sometimes the others will partake too, but they don’t really need a lot of food. Levi’s the only one who can’t eat my cooking and he complains about it constantly.”

“Hange…” Eren tried out the new name. “Are they human too?”

“Yes! Hange is a researcher, actually. They were dying to learn more about vampires and changelings but not every household lets in humans like Levi does. It was a really lucky chance that they found us. Well, it was more like they came knocking at our door and Levi took them in like a stray cat. He does that a lot. Speaking of which…” Petra hopped off the stool and dug through the cupboards until she pulled out a bag of cat food. She scooped a cupful into a silver bowl on the floor and the pitter patter of little feet stormed across the floor. A black cat with bright yellow eyes zoomed in and started chomping down on its meal. “That’s Bean.”

“The cat’s name is Bean?” Eren was unable to keep the smile off of his face.

“Yep, because look at him! He’s just a cute, little black bean!” she cooed in a baby voice, pointing down to prove her statement. The cat was tucked into a bean formation while he munched on the kibbles. “He’s been here since he was a kitten. Levi found him on the side of the road and claimed he brought him home to catch mice. I don’t think there’s ever been a mouse in this house, though. Bean doesn’t have anything to hunt other than our shoe strings.”

Bean finished his meal faster than any human could eat and was staring up at Eren. He purred loudly and started meowing at him in question, rubbing himself over Eren’s legs. Eren wasn’t a monster. He bent down and scratched behind Bean’s ears. When he did, Bean fell onto his back and beckoned Eren to pet his belly. Eren took the bait and when he started petting at Bean’s belly, the cat attacked with some playful bites to his hand.

“He’s such a stinker,” Petra laughed, joining Eren in the petting.

“Bean! I wasn’t done with you! We’ve still got so much more experimenting to do! I’ll turn you into the first vampire cat ever!” a shrill voice came bounding in after the cat. Whomever it was skidded to a halt when they saw Eren. “Oh, you’re the new guy!” they grinned. Eren really couldn’t tell exactly what _it_ was considering they were wearing a face mask with huge safety goggles.

“Eren, this is Hange. They’re sort of our in-house scientist, studying and documenting the biology of vampires.”

They took off the goggles and mask so Eren could finally see their face. There were little lines left behind from where the straps and goggles clung to their face. Their dark, brown hair was tied up in a ponytail and they wore a second pair of glasses under the safety goggles. Mostly, Eren was caught by their magnificent smile and wild eyes. “You’ve got Type O blood, don’t you?”

“I… do…” Eren found himself a bit stunned at their enthusiasm. From what Petra had told him, he knew Hange was a human and quite the excitable one at that.

“So rare! Could I take a blood sample? Pretty please? Just don’t tell Levi. He’d have a fit,” they gushed.

“Uh, I don’t really care,” Eren shrugged. It wasn’t like they were going to drink it or anything. It wasn’t as if they stole him away to use him as some kind of life source.

“Wow!” they jumped up in the air with a smile, “That’s great! You’ll have to visit me in my lab sometime. But in the mean time…” they picked up Bean and cradled the cat in their arms. He didn’t put up any sort of struggle and kept purring in their arms. “We’ve got some experiments to do, don’t we?”

“Don’t worry,” Petra mumbled to Eren, “They won’t cut him open or anything. It’s not like that. Bean just keeps them company. Calms them down, I think.”

“Hange’s… a guy? A girl?” Eren had to mumble back, honestly unsure.

“Neither. Both. It changes a lot. You’ll catch on,” Petra smiled at him. “The fact that you asked rather than assume would make them cry with joy, probably. They’ve always been particular about free expression. Anyway, I think it’d be helpful if I could show you around, yes? Then you won’t get lost or anything like that.”

“Sure…” Eren didn’t like the way she said it. When Petra spoke to him, she seemed to infer that he’d be sticking around for a while. He didn’t like the assumption and didn’t appreciate the fact that he really didn’t have a choice. Still, Petra was nice to him and one of his only human allies in the house so he’d let it go.

She took him past the kitchen to an elegant, closed off dining room with tons of chairs and a huge, polished table. The huge windows were all covered up with drapes like the rest of the house, but a fancy chandelier lit the room up nicely. There was a media room with a wall full of movies and a giant television with tons of couches set up around it. Eren noticed a ton of different video games set up as well.

Petra led him on to what she called the ‘parlor’. It looked like it came right out of an old film. Apparently, she hadn’t gotten around to redecorating it like she’d been talking about during their tour. “At least it’s clean,” she laughed. There was a huge bar set up with lots of shining glasses and twinkling liquor bottles. Eren stared across a pool table with dark red felt and a few other game tables with tons of chairs set up. There was even a record player with a stack of records sitting next to it.

“It looks like I could end up getting shot in here for pissing off a mafia boss or something,” he chuckled, looking around the old-timey setup.

“I know, right? The vampires seem to like it, though. It’s where they spend most of their time when they come to visit. I’ll probably just get some new floors put in and something a little more modern than the faded wallpaper. And probably light some candles. It always seems to smell musty in here.”

Next there was a legitimate ballroom. The lights were off and it looked more like a spacious, empty, echoing basketball court. Someone had even set up a basketball hoop in the middle with a few stray balls lying around it. Petra had to admit it hadn’t been used for an actual party in years. The white floor with golden accents, high ceiling, and floor-to-ceiling windows all begged for some kind of celebration. Eren wondered when the last time it had been used was, seriously imagining a bunch of people in Victorian fashions strutting about to a string quartet.  

Lastly, she took him out to the back courtyard. They slowly passed through a few gardens, taking a winding path farther and farther out until they reached a pool area. Lights illuminated the water and the area around it. A few cabanas stood around the pool and there were a few people splashing around in it. Their laughter filled the air and it all seemed rather normal at first glance. The last thing he guessed he’d see were a bunch of vampires playing around in a pool.

When they noticed his presence, they all silenced and stared at him. He took an instinctive step behind Petra and then cursed at himself for using her as a human shield. She didn’t seem bothered at all by it and just giggled some more. Eren peered over her shoulder and realized Levi was there too, sitting at the water’s edge in his bathing suit.

For a vampire, he wasn’t as beastly as Eren imagined. He didn’t have a mouthful of sharp teeth, only two fangs that occasionally poked out of his bottom lip. He wasn’t sickly looking either, but rather quite fit and toned. Honestly, he was incredibly muscular for his size. And while Eren imagined a vampire’s hair to be a long and scraggly mess, Levi’s was kept neat and sexily tossed off to one side. In the night lights, he actually looked oddly divine.

Shit. He was being tempted with some sort of vampire magic and Eren was _not_ going to fall for it. With a little huff, he stormed back into the house with Petra following close behind.

* * *

He’d been convinced by the others to _take it easy_ and let Eren adjust to his new life. They even convinced him to go swimming in an attempt to soothe his restlessness. Levi couldn’t stand it though, especially not when Eren smelled so fucking great and looked so goddamn cute. He saw the light in Eren and was being told not to run toward it with all his strength. Instead, he had to watch Eren following around Petra all night from a far. He clung to her and didn’t let her leave his sight until he got tired enough to nap in the study around midnight.

Of course, the moment Petra was freed from Eren’s presence, Levi was ready to pounce on her for information. He tried to be nonchalant about it, but he knew she could read him like an open book. The moment he’d found her drinking some coffee in the dining room with a paperback, she started laughing and set down her book.

“What?” he sat in the chair next to her, eyeing the novel rather than looking at her.

“You want to know how it went with Eren today,” she sipped her coffee smugly, knowing she was right.

“So…?” he pressed for her to answer, looking anywhere but directly at her. It was fucking embarrassing but he was smart enough to know he wouldn’t be able to go on without knowing every little thing about the guy.

“He still seems tentative,” she offered a sympathetic smile. “He’s not even comfortable around the changelings. His whole body tensed up when we’d gotten outside.”

“Did you… mention me at all?”

“I put in a plethora of good and honest words for you, don’t you worry,” she winked. “I still think it’s going to take some time, though. He’s been through a lot.”

“Right…” Levi sighed. He shouldn’t have expected a happily-ever-after in only one day. Hell, he shouldn’t have expected anything at all. It was good enough that Eren didn’t attempt to escape the premises or try to harm himself. His best outcome had been a stab to the hand with a fork and a housewarming tour from Petra.

“I think I’ll stick him with Hange and Moblit tomorrow while I clean,” she tapped on her chin. “Those two are bound to liven things up for him, maybe get his mind off of what he’s been through.”

They were quiet for just a moment until Levi finally gave her a little smile. “Thank you,” he said with all the sincerity he possessed. “I’m not sure what I would have done without you.”

She absolutely glowed at his gratitude and leaned over to hug him. She didn’t do it often, only when the time was perfectly right. “I know everything sort of stinks right now and that the terms at which you’ve come together aren’t the best, but I really do think you’ll be the best for him. And I think once he realizes it, he’ll be the best for you too. He’s like Bean.”

Levi pulled away and cocked his head to the side, “What? He likes to bite shit?”

She gave him a playful hit on the shoulder, “Maybe. That’s not what I meant, though. When you first brought Bean here, he wouldn’t come out from under the couch for days. Now he’s the friendliest cat ever. So… let’s just give Eren some time. I think soon enough, he’ll be happy.”

He had to believe her. They all knew if Eren had a real choice, their household was the last place he’d ever want to stay. Levi knew he could give him a better life than he’d known before, but he also couldn’t replace Eren’s mother.

Levi found himself heading toward the study, peeking through the doorway to see Eren snoozing on one of the couches. It’d probably take a while before he got fully used to their nocturnal schedule. It’d take a while before they got anywhere, really. While Levi felt like he should have been claiming Eren’s neck for his own and quenching a need he’d been suffering for years, he just couldn’t. He’d make things right first and take care of himself later.

Eren was too tall for the couch he was on and was nearly falling off. Levi scooped him up and took him back down the hallway to his bedroom. Even though he was set on giving Eren as much space as he needed, he couldn’t bring himself to let Eren sleep anywhere other than the safety of his bedroom chamber. Humans wouldn’t understand the intricacies of vampiric senses and neither would Eren. Scents and territory played a large part in vampiric instincts, a way to guard their mate and keep their prey safe. His bedroom smelled purely of Levi and it was the sole place he’d let Eren stay unguarded during a time when he couldn’t be with Eren himself.

And, like always, Eren made himself comfortable while still snoozing. He dug his nose into the pillow and breathed in deep, sighing happily. Levi tucked the blankets in around him and sadly let himself out, silently vowing to never stray too far.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading <3 Your support makes me smile <3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	5. Chapter 5

“Eren! It’s nice to see you this fine evening!” Hange pulled on his hand to drag him further into their lab. The room looked like it used to be some kind of servant’s kitchen, completely redone with white countertops, a medical bed, and tons of different plants growing in the open windows. It was refreshing to see the curtains pulled back for once and Eren could appreciate the colors of the sunset. Purples, pinks, and oranges blended so beautifully across the darkening sky. It cast a beautifully magical shadow across the lab.

Eren’s eyes glanced over the glass cabinets lining the walls, filled with jars of red and dried herbs. A stranger with short, brown hair and a white lab coat, just like Hange’s, gave him a little wave. Eren took a step back, wondering if he was one of _them._

Hange read his body language as if he were screaming the truth at them: _Is he a vampire or a human?_ “Moblit is my lab assistant! We’ve been working together for years now. He followed me, albeit hesitantly, when we moved in here. He’s a human, just like us, but is equally fascinated by vampires!”

“Do you know much about vampires, Eren?” Hange asked, setting him down on the medical bed.

“Not really, just that they suck,” Eren shrugged. From what he knew, vampires were rather secretive and non-cooperative with the humans. He wasn’t sure what kids were taught in school about them, considering he never attended a formal class in his life, but he figured it was the basics. Vampires get Type O humans and needed their blood to live. If vampires didn’t get what they desired, they’d start a world war against the humans and surely win. After all, vampires were the most violent creatures in the world.

“I’m loving your sense of humor,” Hange gave him a slap on the back and started fiddling around with some instruments on the opposing counter top. “But there is so much _more_ to their biology! You know, I started off hating their guts just like you. But then I saw a dead one. Wow. Just wow. I can’t explain to you how fascinating a vampire’s immortal body is. Did you know their fangs have three layers? That their blood has a special chemical in it to keep the organs functioning? That their body goes through a faux-fossilization to keep from aging? I mean, this is all just theories. Except for the tooth thing. _That_ was some of my best work. I was probably a dentist in my past life.”

They spun around quickly with a huge poster showing a diagram of a vampire’s tooth. There were three layers, all colored differently to display the portions. “This outer layer contains a slight anesthetic that numbs the pain of being bitten and also makes you drowsy. It’s so fast-acting, no modern medicine even comes close!” they started rambling. “The second layer is pure venom, it’s pretty serious stuff. The third layer is the most interesting of all! It contains a black sludge-like substance that turns humans into changelings! And what’s even more amazing is that they can control which substance to excrete! It’s a pity those fangs don’t grow back once they’re removed. But can you imagine a tooth growing back after its plucked?” They squealed with pure energy and set the diagram down to continue fiddling around with some devices on the counter. “I’d love to figure out how to create more of those substances. I have a feeling that anesthetic could heal millions if used properly. Don’t even get me started on their magic either, that’d take me an entire week to discuss properly!”

Eren had a feeling if he got Hange going on describing all of the vampires’ magical qualities, they’d talk non-stop and not even notice an entire week had passed. He couldn’t deny he wasn’t at least a little bit curious, but figured it’d just let them unload the information themselves. He’d have no idea where to even start on what he wanted to know and definitely didn’t want anyone thinking he cared.

“Now, you said you’d be okay with giving me a blood sample?” they were staring at him with wide, expecting eyes and an unshakable smile.

The last time someone took blood from Eren, he was unconscious but he figured if it would make Hange happy, he’d give it a try. “Sure, just tell me what to do.”

They had him lay down and rest his arms on the bed. After tying a band around his arm and wiping down the crook of his elbow with a wipe, they turned a little fan on by his face and spoke in a quiet, soothing manner. “This may pinch a bit, I’ll be as gentle as I can. I’ll let you know when the needle will go in and out, so you just close your eyes and try to relax, okay?”

Eren did as she said and anxiously waited for the poke of the needle. “Three, two, one,” they counted down before he felt the stick. He couldn’t help it when his entire body tensed up, it was a strange pain he hadn’t experienced before. But, luckily, it was over relatively soon. He opened his eyes to see a dark, red liquid in the thick barrel of the syringe.

“Wow, you did great!” they praised. “So, this is Type O blood, hm? Looks the same as all the others, I don’t see what the fuss is about… But, then again, it’s the only thing that’ll keep the vampires alive so it’s special enough for me.”

“So, if vampires need it to survive, why isn’t Levi dead?” Eren found himself asking.

“He’s been around for a long while, one of the oldest there is. The entire Ackerman family is known for their strength and pureblooded magic. He’s been without blood for years now and I’ve finally started to tell a difference. He’s much drowsier and conserves his energy. Barely uses his magic at all, unless he has to…”

“If the whole reason I’m here is to feed him, why the hell won’t he bite me, then?” Eren was getting frustrated. He went through hell and back, only to end up with a vampire who didn’t even want his blood. What the fuck was that all about anyway? He gave up his family, his home, and his dignity all for nothing. Then again, the more stubborn part of his brain huffed in pride and was happy the vampire was letting himself rot into dust.

“You know, any other vampire probably would have. Levi’s different, though,” Hange tapped on their chin thoughtfully. “He still behaves like a human, it’s endearing. It takes strength to hold onto your own humanity. I mean, it’s got to be tough for him. He’s lost his mother just after he was cursed. He could have turned her into a changeling and had her forever. But, he couldn’t bring himself to change her into the monster he was, he always said. Apparently, she was an angel. As far as a family goes, he’s just got the changelings, but they’re free to leave at any time. Vampires can’t have children, so there’s no hope there. What’s left to live for? He’s already got money and any material item he’d ever want. He’s built his skillsets to perfection. All he has is himself, the rest of eternity, and the few around him he can share that with.”

The conversation was getting more and more depressing at an accelerating rate. It did help Eren open up his eyes a little though. He wasn’t the only one who lost his mother due to the curse of vampires. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one who thought of them as monsters either.

“Hange, you’re really putting a downer on this day,” Moblit called from the other side of the room. “You better compensate for all this.”

Hange slapped themselves on the forehead and chuckled, “Vampires don’t exactly have the happiest of fairy tales. But it is quite intriguing under the microscope. Someday Levi will be well enough again to let me get a blood sample. That’ll be the day…” They looked off dreamily into the distance. “But until then, I’ll keep working with what I’ve got here.”

Eren went to get off the hospital bed and found himself feeling quite light-headed. “I think I’m going to go take a nap, if that’s okay…” he started inching out of the room, for fear he’d lose his ‘breakfast’ at any moment.

“Ta-ta!” they called back. Moblit waved again, absorbed in whatever he was working on.

Eren was rushing down the hallway toward the bedroom. Petra had shown him a few different bathrooms throughout the house but in his haste, he couldn’t recall any of them. At least he could lock himself in the bathroom he’d grown familiar with and not feel as if he were in the way.

He thanked every star in the sky as he flew in, slamming the doors behind him as he tossed his face into the toilet bowl and heaved. “Shit, shit, shit,” he cursed into the bowl, causing his voice to echo a little. He coughed and sputtered and spat out the contents of his stomach. After the first round, he thought it was over. Unfortunately, he thought wrong and started heaving again.

“Eren?” another voice echoed and Eren finally took in his surroundings.

The shower shut off and Levi stepped out. He grabbed the nearest towel and wrapped it around his waist, but not before Eren got a very graphic glimpse of the heat Levi was packing. If the color hadn’t been drained from his face from having his blood drawn, it would have rushed up to his cheeks and perhaps down to his nether regions as well.

“Fuck, are you okay?” Levi asked, kneeling down at Eren’s side. He put a light, soft hand between Eren’s shoulder blades and rubbed across them soothingly.

“I…” Eren started coughing again. There was nothing left in his stomach at that point, so he was just coughing aimlessly. His stomach tensed and relaxed again and again, trying to push out the invisible lump in his gut. When he finally felt like he was done, he rested his sweaty forehead on the cool, porcelain rim and took some deep breaths. He focused on Levi’s hand on his back. As much as he hated it, it helped his head feel a little less dizzy.

“Can I help you lay down?” Levi asked.

Eren did a half-hearted nod and he was scooped up effortlessly and placed softly onto the blankets.

“What happened?” the vampire asked, sitting next to him and letting those cool fingers brush across his hot face and hair.

“Hange took my blood,” Eren showed off his arm where they’d placed a hot pink bandage over the pinprick. “For research, I think. I’m not sure. I’ve never had my blood taken like that before. At least not while I was awake anyway.”

“They took your blood?” he spoke slowly, as if unable to fully process the information.

“Yeah, I said it was okay.”

“Just dying to give it out, aren’t you?” Levi slowly shook his head. “Please tell me you won’t offer it up to just anyone.”

“They actually _wanted_ it. Unlike someone I know,” Eren mumbled, closing his eyes just so he could stop looking at Levi. It simply wasn’t fair. His hair was damp from the shower and flipped over to one side again. His bare torso and nearly naked lower half smelled so fucking good and those rippling muscles just called out to be touched. Eren knew it was all just a way to lure in prey, but damn. It simply wasn’t fair.

“I thought you hated me,” Levi returned with a little sass in his tone, matching Eren’s. “And I doubt you’d want someone who you hated sucking on that neck of yours.”

“I wouldn’t mind so much if the guy doing it wasn’t so fucking _noble_. You’ll die waiting for me to be okay with this.”

“A risk I suppose I’ll take,” Levi set a hand on Eren’s forehead. “Feeling better?”

“A little,” Eren shrugged. Really, he was feeling much better, but he didn’t want to risk Levi going away just yet. Whether it was just his presence or some weird vampire magic, he was making Eren’s light-headedness fade in to a warm, pleasant fuzziness.

“Could you stay here while I go talk to Hange?” Levi’s voice was drifting as Eren got sleepier and sleepier.

“I don’t think I have much of a choice,” Eren breathed out a little laugh. His eyes were droopy and his arm was throbbing. It was as if that little pinprick of pain was paralyzing the whole thing and making it feel heavy.

“I’ll be back, then,” Levi pulled a throw blanket over Eren and left the room. For once, Eren wasn’t completely put off by the vampire and found him… somewhat tolerable. To be fair, not everything was Levi’s fault.

* * *

Levi was storming through the hallways until turning up at Hange’s ‘lab’, as they liked to call it. He didn’t mind the fact that they kept around severed pieces of dead vampires to play around with or the fact they asked him millions of questions every day about the strangest things. He couldn’t forget the moment they asked for a sperm sample and the impolite rejection she gave them right back. At the time, sex was the farthest thing from his mind. But after seeing Eren cuddled up so adorably in his bed, he had to admit it was a slightly recurring thought. Still, it wasn’t appropriate in the least so he shoved it as far as he could out of his mind. That didn’t mean his cock was agreeing with the notion, though. It was stirring more than ever before with Eren’s scent and presence in his life.

He gripped on a little tighter to the towel around his waist. Shit. He hadn’t thought about throwing anything on when he hurried out. His mind was focused solely on one thing and one thing only.

“Hange,” he burst into the lab, eyes scanning for the one thing he had been craving for years.

“You can’t have it, I got it fair and square!” Hange already knew what he was looking for. They held a jar behind their back and Levi knew it was full of Eren’s blood.

“Hange, just hand it over,” Moblit tried to convince them. “I don’t want there to be an all-out war in our lab.”

“No!” they insistently countered, backing up slowly. “Levi’s going to have to pry this stuff out of my cold, dead hands.”

“You know I could just take it from you,” Levi reminded them.

“Maybe so, but that doesn’t mean I can’t put up a fight. Oh! We could make a deal. How about you turn me?”

“I told you, I’m not going to do that either,” Levi sighed. Hange had asked him every day to change them, but it wasn’t something Levi would ever take lightly. Just like the sperm sample, he was constantly turning them down.

“Fine. Then you won’t be getting this!” they held the jar out in front of them, as if taunting Levi with the scarlet delicacy.

His mind started to go into a frenzy. _That’s Eren’s blood. That’s_ my _blood. No one else should have it except me. No one should even_ look _at it except me._ With supernatural speed and precision, he snatched the glass jar from Hange’s hands and bolted out of the room to somewhere safer. He found himself returning to Eren in his bedroom and locking the door behind him.

When he finally felt less anxious, he got a good look at the jar. Based on the cap and label, he realized it was an old strawberry jam jar that Hange had probably cleaned out.

“You took it?” Eren snorted from the bed, rolling over to look at Levi. “Why? Are you going to drink it or something?” Levi noticed Bean must have crept in while he was gone. The cat was purring loudly and sitting on top of Eren. Eren lazily scratched Bean’s ears and allowed the cat to sprawl out on top of him.

Levi set the jar on the end table next to Eren and sat at the edge of the bed. He gave Bean a few pets too, but his hand was hardly noticed as the cat was far too enamored with Eren to care. The impulse to take the blood was almost unexplainable. He took it because that blood belonged to him, to Eren. He took it because he couldn’t stand the thought of someone else having it. He took it because of an irrational fear that someone else would get to taste that sweet flavor.

“I wouldn’t drink it,” Levi decided, hating every word of the statement. “Wouldn’t want to creep you out.”

“Idiot. The blood doesn’t creep me out.”

“Seriously? I thought you hated bloodsuckers like me.”

Eren rolled his eyes in annoyance. “I don’t hate _you_ or the fact you drink blood. I hate the fact that I was brought here against my will. I hate that you _bought_ me. I hate that your kind has scared the human race shitless enough to throw away all their values and start giving people away like living peace treaties. Those fuckers took it all away and burnt it to the ground… all because of you.” He wouldn’t meet Levi’s eye line and kept his eyes pinned on Bean.

“Yeah, vampires are a lot of egotistical assholes,” Levi had to agree. “If they weren’t so terrified of death, they’d have swallowed their pride and let us all die off like we’re supposed to.”

“Right!” Eren exclaimed in agreement. “But no. You’ve got to force us all into submission.”

 _He doesn’t hate you, he hates the concept of you,_ Petra’s voice was ringing in his mind. He and Eren were agreeing, but the thick barrier between them remained. Levi wondered if it’d ever thaw and they’d have a chance at some kind of amicable relationship.

“I figured I should warn you. A few of the goons from the Vampiric Court will be arriving tomorrow. They check on all the purebloods to make sure they’ve got an Omega and are keeping themselves alive. And next week, someone from the TRA will come to check up on you too, making sure you’re healthy and such,” Levi decided to bring up the news as soon as he could. He wasn’t sure how Eren would react to other purebloods when he could hardly look at the changelings without running away. Levi also wasn’t sure how he was going to get by without marking Eren before then. He knew they’d be inspecting his Omega for that marking. And if it wasn’t there…

Levi wasn’t going to worry about it. As one of the oldest living pureblood vampires, he deserved a little leeway, right? It wasn’t like he was going to mark Eren right then and there just to satisfy a bunch of undead bastards.

“Sounds boring,” Eren decided. He yawned, which made Bean yawn too. Eren wrinkled his nose at the cat-breath but continued petting the black fur-ball. “I don’t have to do anything for that, do I?”

“Just accompanying me for tea and a little chat is all,” Levi tried to make it sound pleasant. He didn’t want to scare the kid.

“I guess I could do that. Those other vampires aren’t going to touch me or drink my blood or anything, are they?”

The thought wrapped around Levi’s heart and squeezed it painfully. “No,” he answered rather quickly and urgently. “Never.”

“That’s fine then…” Eren frowned a little when Bean walked off of him and curled up on Levi’s usual spot in the bed. He finally looked up at Levi with a strange expression. “For a vampire, you’re not the worst guy, I guess. I get it. You just bought me because that’s what they expect you to do. So… I don’t care if you drink my blood. Do it if you want. I don’t know, is it like tea? Does it suck once it gets cold?”

“Eren, I’d drink your blood if it was half-frozen like a fucking slushy from a shitty gas station,” Levi blurted out without thinking.

Eren stared at him blankly for just a few seconds before bursting out in hysterical laughter. “I didn’t know you could joke like that,” he wheezed. “I didn’t… I haven’t… Oh, my god,” Eren tried to collect himself and it was utterly adorable. By the time he’d caught his breath again, Levi had lost his in the viewing of something magical. Eren’s happy, smiling, laughing face was like a gift from the gods.

* * *

Petra could hear Eren’s laughter from the bedroom and her body relaxed in relief. It seemed things were moving forward and she was more than pleased with how the two of them were bonding. The household had been rather dismal the last few years with Levi’s stubborn search for the ‘right’ human and his impending demise. Pureblood vampires would rap on their door every day in efforts to force blood down his throat and Levi would shoo them away like pestering flies.

She shivered when she thought about how some of them would be visiting their household the following evening. Levi was an anomaly among vampires and kept a tight-knit group with several others who shared their philosophy. The members of the Vampiric Court, however, made her want to hide in a closet.

Vampires that belonged to the Vampiric Court had a completely different outlook on life. They scolded Levi for keeping humans in his home. They threatened him for thinking of an Omega as anything less than a human blood bag. They laughed at him for taking in such a ‘pitiful’ group of changelings under his wing rather than hand-picking them based on their special traits. By the time they’d leave the house, Petra always shook with anger and had to punch her pillow just to get out the violent frustration.

She stayed with Levi’s family because he was different and she was happy that Eren was seeing it too. In her mind, they saved him from a life of torture rather than ‘taking’ or ‘buying’ him. She wanted him to see the truth of his situation rather than stubbornly grasping onto his conditioned opinions on all vampires. _Not all vampires are the same_ , she wanted to preach at him, _Levi’s different. Our friends are different._

“Spying, are we?” Mike came out of nowhere and she jumped in shock. “Sorry,” he mumbled, realizing he’d scared her.

“Just making sure things are going okay,” she smiled up at him. “I think I’ll teach him the household rules tomorrow and hopefully introduce him to some changelings. Think you’ll be up for helping Eren overcome his fears?”

“Of course.” Mike gave her a pat on the head, “You’re doing a really good job with him. I bet Levi’s really grateful.”

“You think?” Petra was a little relieved that she wasn’t totally failing in helping Eren adjust to their lifestyle. “Let’s just hope things go well tomorrow. I’m getting nervous.”

“You know he wouldn’t let anything happen to any of us,” Mike gestured toward the bedroom where the deadliest vampire of all was laughing with Eren.

“I know…” she sighed. “But with Eren there… And he’s not marked…”

“It’ll work out,” Mike assured, moving on with his day. He always seemed completely composed, even in the direst of situations. She truly admired that about him and decided she ought to start tidying up for the showdown. Cleaning got her mind off of the anxieties, but the lingering thought still haunted her. The Court member would be looking for that mark on Eren’s neck. So what would they do when they realized it wasn’t there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your support! I'm so happy to see you're liking it so far! <3
> 
> Some of you may have noticed, but I have started up a new blog specifically for fanfiction. It will be used for chapter updates, little notes about them, drabbles, headcanons, scenarios, fic recommendations, bonus pieces, ect. Hopefully it'll be a little more organized and fun too! The link will be here: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And, as always, my personal blog as well: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	6. Chapter 6

Eren was getting used to waking up to the sunset and it bothered him, though he had to admit that the hues of orange and pink coming in through the thick curtains was beautiful in its own way. The colors streaked across the carpet and shaded the room in a cozy light. In preparation for the oncoming darkness, Eren flicked on some of the salt lamps scattered around the room and decided it was good enough. The warm lighting made him feel a little less lonely and a little more at home. Though, he knew for certain, the house of a vampire would never really be his home. His real home was reduced to ashes and dust.

He cried again, letting the memories flow back to him. It sucked to remember but also was oddly comforting too. He missed his mom. Sure, the two of them didn’t have enough money to eat most days and his mom was so afraid of leaving him alone that she hardly left the house, but they were together. They joked about stealing a sailboat and living on the sea just to get away from it all. Sometimes she’d bring back curly fries from his favorite diner on his birthday or sweet corn from a local farmer.

“Eren?” a voice cut through is memories and pulled him to reality. He glanced over to see Levi in the doorway. “Back on Earth, space cadet? What were you thinking about?”

Eren figured Levi was asking out of concern. He wiped the tear-tracks from his cheeks and shook his head, “Curly fries.”

The vampire smiled faintly and kept his distance. “I’ve decided I’d rather you not join in on the meeting today.”

“Fine by me,” Eren sighed with relief. He really didn’t want to come into contact with any other vampires. Levi wasn’t so bad. He was tolerable and sometimes funny. Other vampires though, Eren didn’t want to get anywhere close. He remembered their wicked faces at the auction and heeded his mother’s warnings. “What’s with the change of heart?” Levi didn’t seem like the wishy-washy type.

Levi averted his gaze and muttered, “I don’t trust them with you. Especially when you’re unmarked. That’s just begging for a bloodbath.”

“It seems like all our little problems would be fixed if you just bit me,” Eren sighed. “You can drop the whole ‘I’m a nice vampire’ thing and just do it.”

“Not today,” Levi smirked. “Anyway, Petra will be here in a bit. Are you feeling better? Hange took a lot of blood. They tend to get overexcited and lose sight of sanity.”

“I’m fine,” Eren insisted. “I always thought you’d be the last person concerned about my loss of blood.”

“I’m probably the last person you’d think to do much of anything decent.” Levi knocked on the doorframe a few times before leaving without another word. He didn’t seem upset or disappointed, but he did seem… afraid. Eren lived with fear his entire life and could sense it from a mile away. Since when did vampires get scared anyway? Especially one like Levi. From what Eren had heard from Petra, he wasn’t weak in any function.

Petra was in moments later with a tray full of various breakfast foods. The two ate together in bed and Petra chatted about the house rules, something Eren found quite interesting.

“We can open up the curtains, but always remember to close them when you leave the room. Wouldn’t want to accidentally burn someone. Help yourself to any food in the fridge as long as it isn’t labelled. We’re free to leave the house from dusk until dawn as long as we’ve got someone with us. Just make sure to clean up after yourself and that’s about it. We’ve got a lot of freedom here that most households don’t.”

“Really?” Eren had to wonder how other vampire ‘families’ lived. Apparently, their house was an anomaly among vampiric households.

“Yeah, I haven’t met any other purebloods but the changelings have told me stories.” She shivered and shook her head, “Not the happiest of stories either. There are still some good purebloods out there, Levi’s got a few friends that are really nice, I guess. Still, though… I’m glad you aren’t going to have to meet any today. I sort of talked Levi into keeping you up here with me.”

“Thanks,” Eren had to say. Petra saved him a day full of nerves and anxiety over seeing more of the beings he hated. “I’m glad he agreed.”

“Me too, it’ll be a fun day. Would you be okay if Mike joined us too? Levi felt more comfortable if we had a changeling here with us. Just in case.”

“Mike is… a vampire…” Eren chewed on his lip.

“No, he’s a changeling. And he’s very adamant about that, as he isn’t a big fan of purebloods himself other than Levi and his pureblood friends.”

“So he hates them too?”

“Most of us do,” Petra smiled, “It’s only natural.”

“Okay then, that’s fine…” Eren decided. It wasn’t exactly ideal, but it was his first step to accepting this new breed of human. After all, Mike couldn’t be blamed for anything that happened to Eren and he had no real reason for hating him or fearing him so much. With that, the two of them were able to spend the evening rather happily and lazily until the sun set fully and the real night began. Petra eventually left him to help prepare and Eren felt comfortable enough to slip off his shirt and take another nap if only to just get the nerve-wracking day over with as quickly as possible.

* * *

“You’re going to stay here, okay?” Levi repeated for the third time that evening. He’d been in and out of Eren’s room several times to check in on him again and again, usually finding him drowsily getting up from another nap. “Petra and Mike will keep you company. That’s fine, right?”

“Sure,” Eren shrugged. He looked and smelled nervous, probably sensing the urgency in the air. “Don’t want to meet any more of those bloodsuckers anyway.”

“That’s the spirit,” Levi dryly responded with a glint of a smile. It was difficult to remain cheerful as the minutes wore on. “Play nicely with Petra and Mike. Petra’s the only one who can make a decent trip to the store and Mike is the only one who can come close to beating me at pool. Wouldn’t want to have to replace them.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Eren yawned, pulling the blankets a little tighter around his form. Levi could see that he slept shirtless which was tantalizing. He really couldn’t daydream more about it due to the oncoming situation before them. “Just go do your weird-ass vampire meeting and let me go back to bed.”

“You slept all afternoon and evening and you’re still tired?” Levi bit his lip. “Still feeling faint after Hange took your blood?” They did take a lot and Levi stored it in the fridge. Even though Eren told him many times to not waste it and just drink it, Levi wasn’t sure he could bring himself to do it. More than likely, he’d grow addicted to the taste and only want more straight from the source. He still dreamt about the little shot glass he’d gotten at the auction and that first, heavenly flavor he’d taken in.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Eren huddled into the blankets even further until Levi could just see some tresses of his hair poking out.

Levi would have to remember to ask Petra to prepare a dinner for Eren that was rich in iron and protein. Eren was still far too slight and malnourished and Levi felt the impulse to change that as soon as he could in a safe and healthy manner. “Okay. Sit tight, then. Don’t leave this room. No matter what.”

When he left the bedroom, that painful parting feeling punished his gut. He didn’t like leaving Eren alone like that when danger was clearly afoot, even aside his trusted allies.

As he stalked down the hallway and down the stairs, the impending doom seemed to close in on his gut. He wasn’t fearful of the possible violence or a fight, those things he could handle quite easily. It was the bureaucracy and politics he truly despised, the political organization turning their entire species into the most annoying group of bickering old folks. Why couldn’t they just all see that they were living a curse? Why did they have to carry an undying pride on their immortal shoulders, speaking of themselves above all else? There was nothing good about immortality. Time was a gift taken away from them after the Black Death swept through Eurasia.

The council member didn’t need to knock or ring the doorbell. Levi could sense his presence and sighed with relief when he realized just who it was. Dot Pixis walked through with his typical warm smile and casual outfit. Anyone else on the council would have decked themselves out in a suit at least, but Pixis found appearances rather pointless. The blood stains on his brown trench coat made it obvious that he couldn’t care less.

“Levi, it’s been a while, you haven’t changed a bit,” he spoke with humor. His fangs were only visible when he laughed or spoke, otherwise his mustache covered them up. He looked a little more human than any other vampire Levi knew and that was something Levi truly admired. Keeping humanity inside a monster was a powerful thing. “I talked the council into letting me do the first examination. I had to meet the human that piqued your interest. And get a taste of that bourbon you’ve been stowing away.” Even in immortality, Pixis’ love of alcohol outweighed the fact he couldn’t properly digest it. Apparently, he’d been training himself to tolerate it again and could get down a few sips before having to give up.

“If you like it, it’s all yours,” Levi led him to the parlor. Pixis sat at the bar while Levi got out a crystal glass and started polishing it clean with a white cloth. “Though I’m afraid you won’t be seeing Eren today.”

“It’s rather silly to do an examination without examining anything, isn’t it?” Pixis chuckled, eyes sparkling as Levi poured him a shallow glass of amber bourbon.

He set the glass and the bottle in front of Pixis before crossing his arms and leaning back against the counter. “I can give you a graphic, detailed report of him. That’s it.”

“Okay, how’s he doing?”

“Fine.”

Pixis slowly shook his head, “I’ve always liked you, you know that?”

“You’re the council member I hate the least,” Levi returned with equal jest, watching as Pixis slammed down the entire glass in one gulp. The act almost made Levi’s stomach flip if he weren’t so on edge. While Pixis was the lesser evil, he was still a council member and he would still have to send back a report of his visit.

“You’re honest and I’ve always valued that.” He stared at his empty glass and poured himself another. “So, let’s be honest, shall we? We’re all aware this is the first Omega you’ve ever brought into your household. How much do you know about Omegas?”

“Enough to get by.”

“Have you marked him yet?”

“No.”

“Tasted his blood?”

“Barely.”

“Does he enjoy it here?”

“Yeah, he’s so happy that the TRA killed his mother and burnt his house down. He was thrilled to have been a part of an auction where he was stuck in a cage in front of a bunch of bloodthirsty beasts. Oh, and he just loved being sedated and waking up in the house of a creature he’s grown to despise. All because he happens to have a certain blood type. Yeah, he’s doing just fucking peachy.” Levi’s sarcasm could have been _tasted_ by anyone in a ten-meter radius.

“It isn’t the best of systems, I’m not arguing about that. Mind you, most humans taken in by vampires are younger than Eren by far and usually don’t remember their human lives. His case is special and in my opinion, was tragically handled as well.”

“They didn’t have to kill her and burn his house to the ground.”

“But they do. For one, she broke a law in her own human world and that’s how they chose to deal with it. For two, they don’t want vampires like you to raise her from the dead. No changing without consent, remember? She can’t give you consent if she’s dead.”

“It’s bullshit. They really just want him to not have anyone to depend on but me. It’s manipulation.”

“Sadly, it’s necessary. But I’m not here to argue with you. I’m here to let the council know you’ve marked your Omega and provide proof of that as well. I’m here to collect your blood tax. And, lastly, I’m here to warn Eren of your rather sour nature.”

“Which will be a problem since you’re not going to be seeing him today.”

“I understand it’s only your primal instincts to keep him safe from other purebloods like myself. However, you know I’ve got one of my own at home and have no desire for another. Handfuls, they are. Especially after marking and especially if they’re adults.”

“Great, better run back to them. They’re probably missing you by now.”

Pixis sighed with exhaustion and choked down one more sip of alcohol before glaring at Levi. “You’re lucky I respect your age and plucky personality, Levi. Since you haven’t marked him yet, I’ll tell them Eren hasn’t been cooperative enough to give you an opportunity. That’ll be one week until another member comes knocking at your door and I can’t promise it will be someone as kind as myself. I’d suggest you have it done by then. For Eren’s sake, at least.”

Levi happily led Pixis out without another word. The meeting itself served as a warning while the next would carry real results. As much as he hated it, Levi knew marking Eren would protect them from the Vampiric Council’s wrathful order. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to curse Eren. Taking a man of light, sunshine, and brilliance and turning him to the darkness was an act of sin in Levi’s mind. He didn’t want to force Eren into a life of shadows and blood and he’d hold off for as long as he could, letting Eren soak in the sunlight for whatever time they had left.

He let himself back into the bedroom where the trio was holed up. Mike was sitting by the window, watching Pixis take his leave. He had a book in hand, an old one from the looks of the beaten cover. Petra and Eren sat on the bed happily munching on some fast food that Mike must have ran to get them.

“How’d it go?” Petra asked with a bright smile.

“Not as shitty as I thought,” Levi shrugged and sat next to her on the bed.

“Mike got us food from Eren’s favorite place. He said the curly fries were to die for and I agree,” Petra popped one in her mouth with a happy little hum. A glint in her eye told Levi that she knew he’d asked Mike to get the fries for Eren earlier that evening, right after Eren divulged his craving for them.

“These tightly wound ones are the best,” Eren held a perfectly spiraled fry up for Levi’s viewing. “Here,” he offered. Levi opened his mouth and started chewing on the fried potato snack for just a few moments before realizing what he’d just done, but Eren offered it to him and there was no way in hell he’d ever say no. Those eyes and seeing his smile turned Levi’s storming thoughts into cloudy daydreams and his grief into glee.  

His stomach was already rejecting the foreign substance and he had to rush to the bathroom to vomit it all back up. There wasn’t much in his body to eject, but apparently the fry was enough to bring up some black blood and dark stomach bile. When he rejoined the others, Eren was blushing. “Oops. Sorry. I forgot you can’t eat this kind of stuff.” Petra and Mike were stifling their laughter.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s not like it will kill me. Besides, I got to actually taste it. You’re right. The tightly wound ones are the best.”

Eren let out a little laugh and Petra was holding onto her cheeks as if to hold in a squeal. She took a deep breath to collect herself and raised an eyebrow, “I was just telling Eren you were one of the first people to become a vampire. He was… interested to know about how vampires came to be.”

“Not interested. Just…” Eren quickly tried to defend himself and hold his angry demeanor. “Just wondering how the demons got here, y’know?”

“Come to think of it, you’ve never told me that story either…” Petra urged him on.

Mike looked up from his book with a curious glint in his eye. He’d never been told either, though to be fair he never asked either. His grandmother had been a pagan who studied vampires and witches and ended up in the household of a pureblood herself before moving on to a new family-oriented lifestyle, but even she wouldn’t have known of the full truth. Few honestly did. It was a story held onto by the older vampires, the ones who were first visited by the Goddess of Death herself.

Eren was finally asking him for something, even if it was something as frivolous as an old story. But still, Levi wanted to tell it to the best of his ability as if he were mystifying a child with stories of the past.

“It started during a plague, the Black Death. A woman by the name of Ymir made a deal with the Goddess of Death to save her village from the disease, sacrificing herself in hopes to give her friends, neighbors, and family immortality. After she died, Death visited every person in the village and gifted them with a drop of her blood while they slept. Some were too pure and died on impact. Others, like myself, changed overnight into beasts that could only crave more of that life-giving blood. Most villagers knew nothing of her intentions and used her name as a curse. Others worshipped her as a goddess. Without even realizing it, they were all spared from the tragedy of disease overnight only to bear a new burden.”

“So, all the vampires are from your village?” Hange asked, spooking Petra and Eren half to death. They’d been wanting to hear the story for so long, but Levi never obliged. They ran and fell onto the bed on the other side of Eren, leaning forward to hear more.

“Not exactly. After hearing the news of Death’s gift, other villages pleaded for the same cure. Death, happy to finally be worshipped rather than feared and hated, happily obliged. Vampires sprung up like shitty spring daisies across the land. Some died after only a few weeks after realizing what they needed to do in order to survive. Some went mad and offed themselves. Others thrived and hunted humans like wild game, draining them of their blood before moving on to a new town. And a few others, like myself, were sane enough to understand and plan ahead. As time went on, though, only the intelligent lived as we overcame several obstacles. We had to create a fortress around ourselves to hide from the Extermination Act of 1721 as the humans worked together to destroy them one by one with wooden stakes and silver shards. We had to create a formation of allies to fight through our own battles over food, territory, and protection. With every passing year, more perished for different reasons. A large number was just picked off by the lack of available blood, hence why the Vampiric Court made our existence known.”

“When did the court come around anyway? Are they an elected team? Wise elders with powers beyond our imagination?” Hange pressed on, their eyes growing bigger with every new sentence. They were eating all the information up like candy and drooling for more. Eren looked curious as well which drove him on.

“When our numbers got large enough, some dipshits decided we needed some kind of organization. Hence, the Vampiric Court was elected and put into power. They created a registry of all living vampires around the globe, made laws and kept order, and worked together to rid of any potential rouge vamps that would only cause them more trouble. At first, it wasn’t so shitty. They managed to get the humans to forget about the existence of vampires over the years, chalking it up to folktales and myths. They helped vampires integrate themselves into the world without blowing their own existence. They created a false peace for their kind to quietly suffer through immortality. They controlled the population of changelings and helped form the idea of families with a pureblood as a head of household and changelings living under their guidance.”

“Wow, it feels like a history lesson with Professor Levi,” Petra giggled. “It’s still really interesting though. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you talk so much in one go.”

“You asked for it,” Levi shrugged, glancing to Eren in hopes to read his expression and thoughts, but he really wasn’t giving anything away. Eren seemed perplexed and thoughtful, taking in the glob of information and still attempting to decide how he felt about it all.

“You didn’t mention the part about Alphas and Omegas… _Levi_ …” Hange was whining for more.

“Mike knows more about that than I do.”

“ _Mike_ …” Hange shifted their whining to the changeling.

“As far as vampires go, my grandmother figured out that the Alpha pureblood vampires like Levi have biological instincts to protect and defend their Omega counterparts. They’re literally built to serve them. Betas like me are more of a supporting cast. And it’s all determined by blood type,” Mike’s tone kept a calm and relaxed tone. He resumed reading his book in the middle of his explanation. “Humans don’t have the senses to respond to these natural instincts, but you can sort of tell who’s who based on their personalities. Now that the world is predominantly Betas anyway, it ceases to matter to them.”

“And after an Omega is marked, they actually become a little bit more than a changeling. They’re pretty much a full-fledged vampire, right?” Petra asked.

“Yeah, that seems to be the case. Their body seems to have a different reaction than a usual changeling’s. Maybe it’s the bond they have with the Alpha or something,” Mike hummed.

“I can sense my next research project coming together…” Hange rubbed their hands together.

“That’s the end of class for today,” Levi checked his watch and noticed the sunrise would be upon them in an hour or so. He wouldn’t sleep that day and instead would mull over his options on how to best approach the situation at hand. Eren wasn’t safe without a marking, but Levi’s stubbornness won out that battle. He wouldn’t put that burden on Eren, not until the very final moment.

When he got off the bed, he felt his head spin a little. How long was it since he’d last had a real, full meal? He could hardly remember. The last time he’d eaten was when the council force-fed him blood that tasted of bleach. Overall, he had to admit, they were all running out of time. He drifted toward the kitchen and took out the jam jar of Eren’s blood, staring at it and rolling the jar in his hand to watch the liquid flow. Perhaps one little sip wouldn’t hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everybody! Thanks so much for reading <3 Lots of mythology/exposition here, I hope it wasn't too dreadful. 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And, as always, my personal blog as well: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	7. Chapter 7

The most refreshing and warm flush of spiced apples wet Levi’s excruciatingly dry throat. He was yanked back to his childhood, something that didn’t happen often. His mother and father were chasing after him as he ran into the pasture behind their cottage. The grass was browning and the orange and yellowed leaves were dancing around in the breeze like a steady snowfall. His mom brought a basket of bright red apples for the three of them to share and his dad laid out a huge, old quilt. Perhaps they weren’t the wealthiest family in the village and their house had a few holes in the roof, but they were happy and together.

His parents would sing to him in perfect harmony and he’d be encouraged to join. His voice was high-pitched enough to sing along with his mother while his father provided the bass tones. They’d sing songs about little rabbits and foxes. They’d sing about the God of Life and the Goddess of Death. They’d sing about pink noses in the winter and sunburns in the summer. They’d sing all the way home and snuggle up in their bed, all together in a warm heap.

Levi zoned back in on the empty jam jar in his hand. He could feel the blood running through his deadened veins, restoring old energies that he’d lost long ago due to starvation. He knew right then and there, he’d only crave more. “Shit,” he muttered to himself, promptly washing the jar out in the stainless-steel sink until his hands burned from the hot water.

“So, you finally cracked?” Farlan asked from behind him. He sauntered up and sat at the breakfast bar. “You looked like you were going to pass out. Now you actually look somewhat alive again.”

“Couldn’t help it,” Levi chewed on his lip and stared at the empty jar. He truly felt guilty after telling Eren he wouldn’t drink it. Eren didn’t seem like he’d mind too much, but the principle of it was lost.

“I don’t see why you can’t just mark him. He’s asked for it, hasn’t he? Or is your inner guilt of turning us all into _monsters_ eating at you again?”

“The only reason I changed any of you is because I had no other choice. You should know. You were on your deathbed with small pox and asked me every day to change you.”

“You could have let me die…” Farlan wiggled his eyebrows teasingly.

Levi could have let Farlan die. That would have been the right thing to do. Instead, Levi made the selfish decision of keeping one of his closest friends alive with him forever. Farlan had wanted it and didn’t regret their decision, though Levi sometimes wondered if it was all for the best.

He found himself gripping at the countertop as his mouth salivated for more. His stomach was happier but not fully sated in the least. One little sip wasn’t enough and a jar-full wouldn’t pass for a decent meal either. Those dark veins running through Eren’s neck filled Levi’s mind and he growled when realizing that his Omega wasn’t wearing his mark. A wave of bloodlust gripped him and messed with his head, an imaginary path of scarlet led the way right back up to Eren and Levi had to keep his hold on the countertop in order to keep himself from following it. He’d gotten himself addicted to the taste with only a few gulps and now his body demanded more. His throat felt like it was on fire and the only thing to extinguish the burn was more. Eren’s blood was Levi’s drug and he was damn well convinced that he’d never be complete again without it.

“Distract me before I start fucking convulsing or some shit,” he growled at Farlan who was just standing there with his usual ‘I told you so’ smirk.

“Okay, okay, so what’s your plan now? It seems like he’s not completely avoiding you and the changelings anymore. He looks a lot less murderous now. I really think he’s warming up to our little family,” Farlan tapped his fingers on the counter and the sound was making Levi cringe. Every little sensation around him put his body on edge. The sensory overload was almost unmanageable.

“Wait,” Levi decided through a clenched jaw. “Until he’s ready.”

“I don’t think anyone will ever be _ready_ for this kind of thing, “Farlan shrugged. “I wasn’t and I’d begged you to change me for forever. I thought I was, but immortality isn’t something the human mind can grasp. Never aging as the years pass on while everything else does isn’t something that can be explained.”

“I want him to be happy at least. Maybe we can introduce him to everyone else.”

Farlan dramatically sighed and rolled his eyes like a teenage girl. “Or you could just bite him and stop this nonsensical debate for good. You know what? Maybe I should.” He took one step toward the grand staircase and Levi couldn’t believe his ears. The granite cracked under his fingers and Levi was losing control over himself.

“Don’t you fucking _joke_ about that, Farlan,” he warned with a hiss, using his vampiric speed to place himself between the stairs and his friend. “Or I won’t be able to hold myself back from hurting you.”

“I know you wouldn’t,” Farlan laughed, “Though I am finding it humorous. You seem much more alive with him around.”

It was Levi’s turn to roll his eyes like a teenage girl and ended the conversation by storming back up to his bedroom. He paced the empty hallway in an attempt to get a grip on himself and was almost taken by surprise when his bedroom door creaked open. Eren stuck his head out and glared at Levi. “I can hear you stomping around out here.”

“Sorry,” Levi honestly apologized.

“It’s daytime, should you be sleeping?”

“I don’t sleep much.”

“That’s stupid. Come on. I’ve been stealing your bed for a while and I’m sure you miss it.”

It was one of the few times Eren told him to do something and Levi didn’t plan on disobeying. He followed Eren into the bedroom and held back a little noise when Eren grabbed his wrist and pulled him into bed. They both fell into it, Eren rolling far to one side and Levi stayed stiff on the other. Eren was on Levi’s usual side and for some reason, the vampire found it endearing.

“Sorry I’ve been weird,” Eren muttered. “I still hate vampires. But I guess I don’t hate you. You’re sort of funny and I guess you’re nice too. Mike isn’t bad either, he’s actually really nice for a half-vampire. I don’t think I’d mind the other changelings either.”

“You want to meet them?” Levi turned over in bed so he could stare at Eren’s back. When Levi moved, Eren rolled over too so they could actually look each other in the eye.

“Sure,” Eren smiled. “My mom always said people were truly good on the inside. I mean, I don’t think she meant to include vampires but I still think it holds true.”

“What was she like?” Levi wanted him to keep going. Eren seemed happiest when talking about his mom. He probably missed her with his whole heart and Levi wanted to be supportive. Eren’s smile made him forget about that crippling need for more blood.

“She was perfect. We didn’t have a lot, but she made the days when we were hungriest happier somehow. She made the cold, winter days warm with her laugh and the wet, rainy days cozy with her hugs.” Eren shrugged and stared down at the sheets. “I would have given myself up if she would have let me. She would have gotten a lot of money for turning me in. I heard anyone who brings a Type O to the agency gets millions of dollars. I even tried to run away once, but she stopped me and begged me to never try it again. She wasn’t even angry with me like I thought she’d be. She was afraid. So, after that, I always stayed inside. But it was okay because she was happy. And if she was happy, that made me happy too.”

Levi wasn’t sure what to say, but he understood. He wanted to reach forward and hold onto Eren, to hug him and apologize over and over for the situation he endured. Levi wanted to go back in time and save them both. Unfortunately, time travel wasn’t in his repertoire of powers and he knew nothing he did or said would change the pain Eren held in his heart.

“But she also always told me to stay positive and happy. She told me that my life was too short to waste it on feeling sad or weak. She told me to keep fighting, because if we keep fighting, we win. So, I can’t keep being sad and miserable. Sadness is like giving up and losing, right?”

“That’s a really good way of looking at it,” Levi was rather impressed. Eren was no longer stubbornly holding back, but rather refusing to live the rest of his life in vain. It seemed very much like him to not let the vampires and the crooked society they lived in ruin his life. He was too stubborn to give up his own happiness.

“You drank my blood, didn’t you?” Eren smirked. The sudden subject change took Levi by surprise, and it was even more surprising that Eren called him out on it. “You look less awful than before,” Eren noted.

“Fuck, yeah, I did…” Levi uttered in disappointment.

“It’s fine, I told you to,” Eren laughed. “I didn’t think you’d break your resolve like that.”

“Trust me, I didn’t either.”

“I was thinking about it. You don’t want to turn me yet, do you? And you’d change me by biting my neck, right?”

“Yeah, that’s the general concept.”

“How about this, then?” Eren held out his arm, exposing those blue veins running up from his wrist to the crook of his elbow. “You can bite me here, right? And nothing will happen to me?”

“You’ll get a scar,” Levi warned.

“It’ll make me look tougher.”

“It’ll probably hurt like hell.”

“No worse than getting stabbed in the hand with a fork.”

Eren bit his lip to hold in a little sadistic laughter, “Sorry about that.”

“You don’t seem very sorry.”

“I’m really not. But here, this’ll even the score.”

“I don’t think the score will ever be even. I owe you too much to ever make up for,” Levi spoke honestly, eyeing the underside of Eren’s arm. He had to remember not to drool.

“I’d rather us be on even ground than having it be… awkward,” Eren shrugged. “I get it. I’m not _that_ stupid. I need to live here and I don’t really have another choice unless I get stuck with another vampire. And I don’t think I want to go live with a different vampire. I think I want to stay here. And I can’t do that if you’re dead. Bite me before I bite myself and force feed you.”

The resistance Levi had been clinging on to was breaking. He sat up in bed and Eren followed, both of them sitting in front of each other. A tiny streak of sunlight pierced through a crack in the drapes to light the room with an orange morning glow. The lighting illuminated Eren’s form, making him look like an angel from the heavens offering the gift of life to Levi and it was too damned hard to continue refusing.

Levi took Eren’s hand, noticing how soft and warm it was. Eren’s fingernails were dirty and unkempt, though Levi doubted Eren cared about them much. When he brought Eren’s wrist to his lips, Levi wanted time to stop forever. Apples and spices surrounded him like a blanket, shielding him from the outside world. Levi couldn’t help but kiss the soft and delicate skin of Eren’s wrist like the most precious treasure he’d ever find.

“Just tell me to stop if it hurts too much, okay?” he whispered in warning before opening his mouth wide enough to slot his fangs into the vein and piercing Eren’s skin in a quick succession.

Eren made a slight squeaking noise before humming, “Doesn’t hurt a bit.”

Levi sighed in relief. He hadn’t bitten anyone in years, but it was as natural as any other bodily function. The liquid stored in his fangs worked their numbing magic and kept Eren safe from the pain. All the while, Levi could suck from the puncture wounds and not only relish in the flavor but feel the relief of his burning hunger.

He couldn’t hold back the almost sensual moan. Eren had to have been a gift from the gods and his hot, full flavored blood served as proof. Levi’s entire body was warming and buzzing with renewed energy. His foggy mind was clearing with every gulp. The magic within him vibrated, expanded, and exploded through his heart, soul, and mind. Levi could feel his fangs sharpening and his senses tuning. The power he’d left rot for years on end came rushing back in a jolt.

Levi pried himself off of Eren before taking too much. He already internally berated himself for latching on for too long with Eren’s existing blood loss. With a few tender licks to the puncture wounds, they were already healing with a little steaming. Eren watched in awe as the little streams of vapor clouded over his skin and up into the air as the wounds closed.

“Are you okay?” Levi had to ask, putting a hand on his cheek to get a better look at his expression. The action was purely on impulse and rather thoughtless, but Eren didn’t flinch away.

“I’m fine,” he yawned sleepily. “See? That wasn’t such a big deal, was it?”

But it was and Eren just didn’t know it. He opened up to Levi enough to save him from the hands of his long-awaited death. He gifted Levi a newfound appreciation for the powers he’d left behind. He gave Levi a new reason to _live_.

Levi suddenly realized why Omegas were so important to their Alphas. He figured out why a pureblood vampire would to go any length for their compatible human partner. It all made sense to him why Type O humans were so important in a world where vampires were dying out. They weren’t just food or a life source. They were _everything_.

It came to Levi’s attention that his face was millimeters away from Eren’s and that he’d unconsciously pulled the two of them closer and closer together. At that realization, he let Eren go and pulled away a few inches. “Thank you,” he whispered honestly, turning away to hide the very slight blush tinting his cheeks. Since when did he blush anyway?

“You’re, uh, welcome,” Eren was turning away too, lying back down and scooting as far away as he could. “At least now you’ll be able to sleep, right?”

“Right…” Levi’s back hit the mattress but he was in no shape to actually sleep. His heart was racing and beating like mad. Was it a new obsession with Eren’s blood or the way Eren’s eyes glittered when he looked at them so closely?

* * *

Eren turned away from Levi and buried his face into the blankets to hide his hot cheeks. Why did vampires have to look so fucking pretty? And why the fuck did it turn him on when Levi was sucking at his wrist? Eren was thanking every god and goddess in the books that his lower half was fully covered by the puffy duvet the entire time otherwise he’d be facing an all new issue.

Why had he said the things he said? Why’d Levi somehow make him melt? Why was he suddenly questioning everything he’d ever known all because of a strikingly sexy smirk and an oddly endearing sense of kindness?

Eren had come to several conclusions in such a short time span, he honestly wondered if he was losing his sanity or somehow becoming a bit more rational of a man. Perhaps Petra’s efforts to boast about how lovely Levi was had made an impact. Perhaps the comfort Eren was finally feeling in the mansion had his heart growing softer. Either way, he couldn’t deny a few learned facts.

He still hated vampires. He hated everything about them from their sense of pride and pompousness to their need for blood. There was still a bit of hatred in his heart for them and the fact that they were ultimately responsible for fucking around with human society. He also hated the Type Reinforcement Agency and their violent laws. The heartless agency took his mother and his home away unjustly and without warning. In a perfect world, he’d kill them all with his own two hands.

But he knew he didn’t want to kill Levi and he didn’t know why.

Maybe it was the way he acted like some kind of defected vampire, one that diverged from all the normal traits and habits. Levi wasn’t anything like the vampires Eren imagined during his years of sheltered solitude. He knew they existed and stared many of them in the eyes as he was caged up on the stage of the auction. But he still remembered Levi and how his eyes weren’t on fire with a lustful need. Instead, he looked like he wanted to safe Eren rather than devour him whole.

In a lazy attempt to pretend he was actually asleep, Eren pulled his wrist up to his mouth. He rested his lips on the spot Levi had bitten into and remembered just how tenderly Levi treated him. There was no pain, only a strange excitement in the pit of his gut that made him a little nervous. Instead of fear, there was just a strange relief.

“You’re not asleep,” Levi noticed, his voice lazy and husky with sleepiness.

“Neither are you,” Eren defensively returned. He paused for a moment before letting his thoughts out, “Mike said Alphas are meant to serve Omegas. But it seems like the other way around.”

Levi hummed and flopped back over so his back was no longer to Eren and Eren did the same so they were facing each other yet again. “Back then, vampires could drink from more than just one person. A lot of them would drain a human whole and suck the life force out of them only to move on to someone new. That was before the blood crisis.”

“Did _you_ do that?” Eren had to ask.

Levi shrugged, “When I was younger. It was all we knew. It was before we had figured out that we could have something more, a real relationship.”

At least he didn’t lie about it. Eren had to respect that. Levi continued, “A few vampires started to figure out that when they found someone with Type O blood, a true Omega, they could form a lasting bond where they share the same immortality and magic. That’s when we figured out the best method of actually living rather than just staying alive.”

Eren had to wonder if that’s what he had done. He really was just staying alive when he was trapped inside his home with his mother. Was this the new feeling overtaking him? Actually living? “I guess that makes sense. I still don’t get any of this stuff.”

“Neither do I,” Levi sighed. “I used to wish I could just die like everyone else. Still do, sometimes.”

“What about right now?”

“Right now? I’m thankful for my immortality right now. I’m finding that I don’t regret the years of waiting.”

“My blood is that good, huh?” Eren joked.

“Yeah, but it’s more than that.” Levi’s soft tones had Eren’s heart fluttering. What did he mean by that? It didn’t seem like he would be doing any further explanation as he changed the subject completely. “You spent most of your life inside that house. So, what sort of things did you want to do?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m sure you’ve got a bucket list of things you want to do and see in the outside world. I know swimming is one of them based off the way you stare at the pool.”

“Oh, um,” Eren definitely had a long list of things he’d always wanted to do. He started to ramble immediately, “I want to go an amusement park and ride those big twirling things. Oh! And a real movie theater. And all those huge landmarks! I’ve seen pictures of them, but I bet they’re bigger in person. The ocean, too! I want to see that and touch the sand…” The items on his list were spouting off so fast. “There’s just so much… I feel like I need to catch up. All I know is what I’ve seen in movies and read in books, that’s it.”

“We’ll do them all, then,” Levi replied so causally. It seemed like he didn’t realize just how impactful those words were.

“Seriously?” Eren had to double-check to make sure he wasn’t just joking around.

“Yeah, as long as you don’t mind doing it all at night. I’m not sure I would want you leaving the house during the day without a marking, but if I’m there with you it should be okay.”

Eren flew up in bed and tossed himself onto Levi, wrapping him up in a hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” he chanted with a smile. His boundless excitement couldn’t be contained and when he calmed down and realized how tightly he was holding onto the vampire, he scrambled back into his spot and laughed awkwardly. “Sorry. It’s just… I didn’t realize I’d ever be able to _do_ those things. I just thought they’d always be in my dreams. Anyway, uh, this is your room, right?” Eren thoughtlessly clambered off the bed. “I’ll go get some sleep on the couch or something.”

“No,” Levi reached out and took Eren’s wrist, pulling him gently right back onto the mattress. The word came out sharply as if Levi were panicking. He took a few deep breaths and changed his tone to a calmer and more composed version, “No. Stay here. It’s a… vampire thing. If you really don’t mind, I’d rather you stayed here.”

“Feels better to keep your prey close, hm?” Eren assumed, getting back into the bed. He wasn’t too disappointed about staying. He had grown rather fond of the cloud-like bed with the blankets that kept him warm but not too hot all at the same time.

“Something like that,” Levi sighed and released his grip once Eren was back in his spot.

“I’ll stay here then,” Eren promised, finally feeling happily tired. The strange buzzing in his chest had calmed enough to allow him to rest. “Just don’t pull any vampire-magic stuff on me while I’m asleep.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

“I know it’s hard to resist, but don’t kiss me in your sleep either,” Eren laughed and wanted to smack himself when he realized what he’d actually said. The words came out on impulse as if to just fill the silence. He never considered himself a flirt, especially to a vampire, but something about the scene felt oddly romantic. The only person he’d shared a bed with before was his mother. He assumed sharing one with another man would be normal, right? Levi was ridiculously attractive, he had to have some kind of vampire girlfriend somewhere. “Sorry, that was dumb,” he said, trying to make up for the sheer stupidity of the statement.

“If I were to kiss you, it’d be while you were awake so you could actually enjoy it,” Levi snorted softly. “So, don’t worry. I don’t plan on doing anything indecent.”

With that, Levi turned to get some sleep. Eren, on the other hand, was once again wide awake with that warm buzzing in his stomach again. _Damned vampire,_ he kept growling in his head wondering when the hell he’d actually be able to calm down again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	8. Chapter 8

As the last bit of sunlight stuck around in the sky, Eren found himself awakening as if he’d been nocturnal all his life. The thought used to sicken him, but he couldn’t find the energy to be disturbed in his sleepy state. He did, however, have the energy to jolt back when a set of sharp, dark eyes were gazing right at him. It took him a brief moment to remember the occurrences of the previous day and realized he’d just slept in the same bed with another man. No, not a man. A vampire.

Instead of reverting to his blind malice, Eren looked into those eyes and could nearly read Levi’s mind. There was a lot spoken through just an expression, something Eren had never noticed before. Levi always seemed stonily poised with a glare and a scowl, but in that moment, he appeared so open that Eren could see it all. And holy fuck, it was gorgeous. Sleepy bliss played its sweet little tones across a tired smile. A faint blush most likely matched Eren’s. Those glinting fangs poking out from his lips begged with hunger. His eyes burned with desperation and interest.

Eren reached out toward him, letting his knuckles graze those soft, pale lips as an invitation. _Go ahead, eat._ But rather than grabbing Eren’s wrist and devouring him like a starving man, Levi gently kissed the four knuckles before him and lightly smiled, “So eager for my mouth.”

The teasing, flirting words had Eren pulling his hand back to his own lips in an effort to cover up his own gasp and flushed cheeks. “Idiot,” Eren mumbled from behind his warm knuckles. “I was trying to be nice.”

“So was I,” Levi chuckled. “I’m a bit rusty at it. Forgive me.”

“Nah,” Eren teased right back, unwilling to let Levi plow over him with some pretty words. Levi was just joking after all, that was it and nothing more. Eren could bite back and he’d make sure the vampire knew it. Sure, he didn’t have fangs like Levi’s but he had a feeling he could keep up with the vampire’s witty tongue. “Guess you’re not so hungry if you’re making jokes then.”

“Who said I wasn’t hungry or that I was joking?” Levi returned rather quickly. Apparently, living for hundreds of years gave him time to perfect his banter while Eren’s only expertise at social interaction came from watching movies, reading books, and chatting with his mother. If Petra weren’t so damn friendly, he probably wouldn’t have been able to even attempt at a decent chat with her. If Hange wasn’t so forward, Eren wouldn’t have approached them without pushing himself to. And Levi, well, they were forced to interact, weren’t they? Eren had to at least try. Plus, he found it sort of trilling and quite entertaining especially when they were alone.

“Here, just no kissing this time,” Eren stuck his arm back out to Levi’s reach.

“No foreplay, got it. You get straight to the point, don’t you?” Levi gently held onto Eren’s wrist and let his lips graze the same spot he’d bitten into mere hours before. The puncture wounds were visible and Levi lined up his fangs to match them, focusing for just a moment before biting down.

When Eren said he didn’t feel anything when Eren bit him, he lied. He didn’t want to reveal the explosion of sensation that came from Levi’s fangs buried in his flesh. There was no pain, that was true. Instead, his entire arm felt warm and tingly as if he could feel his blood rushing from his neck and shoulders down to satisfy Levi’s thirst. The vampire commanded his blood and it seemed to be the only part of him that would willingly comply without a snarky remark, struggle, or fight. It really didn’t matter because everything felt _right_ as if his place in the world was under Levi’s lips. His anger and fear slowly dissipated into nothing but peaceful bliss.  

A little piece of his heart seemed to be restored with Levi around and that freaked him the fuck out.

“Is it… okay?” Eren had to say something in order to stop his bounding heart from clouding up his mind with strange fantasies. “My blood, I mean. I mean, I’m pretty sure all blood probably tastes fine…”

Levi pulled away and lapped at Eren’s skin until the blood started to clot and the wound began to heal. “No, all blood doesn’t taste the same. It’s all different actually. Really different. And it doesn’t just have a flavor, it has a scent too.”

“So, what does mine taste like?” Eren had to wonder.

“Apples,” Levi answered with a smile. “Sometimes, depending on your mood, they can smell spiced and warm like a dark red apple. Other times, tart and bitter like a green one. Most of the time, though, you smell and taste like the honey crisp apples my parents used to bring home for me.”

It was the first time Levi had brought up his parents in conversation. It never occurred to Eren that Levi used to have parents. By the sound of it, they weren’t around anymore.

“Apples, hm?” Eren lifted an arm to sniff at his armpit and wrinkled his nose. “I don’t smell it. I _do_ smell like I need a shower though. Wouldn’t mind brushing my teeth either.” He found his heart cursing at his mouth for ending the moment far too soon.

“Always apples,” Levi smiled fondly, sitting up in bed and stretching out his arms. “The TRA is sending over a nurse do your inspection in a bit. I guess they heard about my meeting with the Vampiric Court and expedited the exam after realizing I haven’t turned you yet. I’d suggest showering quickly and joining us down for some breakfast.”

Eren regretfully shuffled out of bed and felt the chill from the loss of blankets. He shivered and hurried to take cover in the bathroom without looking back or replying to Levi. At that point, he wondered if those flutters in his stomach were out of endearment, confusion, or fury.

He’d finished getting ready for the day in record time, not like it took him much time in the first place. After a few weeks, he’d finally gotten comfortable enough in the bathroom to figure out what soaps he liked and how to work the overly complicated shower that had way too many fucking dials and handles. When he first tried to work the damned thing, he ended up with three different shower heads blasting scalding hot water at him. After a few more mistakes, he could finally figure out the temperature at least.

As for clothing, he found a few drawers of clothes that were his size. No one ever explained if they were meant for him or not, but they were a hell of a lot nicer than anything he ever owned. Most of the time he wore sweatpants around the house, uncaring of what anyone thought of him. Instead of opting for his usual choice, he figured he’d actually start trying a little with a pair of black, tight jeans and a white shirt. He figured it was safe enough of an option and that he couldn’t really screw up an outfit if it was just black and white.

Not only was he learning how to work the bathroom appliances and pick out a decent outfit, he had also gotten a better visual map of the mansion and could walk his way around it without getting too lost. He made it to the kitchen without a problem at all.

Levi and Petra were leaning against the breakfast bar chatting lightly about groceries or something. Eren nearly went to go prepare something for himself but was stopped in his tracks and doted upon by the two most attentive people he’d ever met. Petra cooked him a dozen pancakes and watched him to make sure he ate them all. Levi refilled his orange juice like an expert waiter who never let the glass fall half empty. All the while, they carried on chatting while Eren stuffed his face.

“Hange needs their vegetables. I swear, I need to start chopping them up really small and sneaking them into their food,” Petra huffed. “They act like they’re allergic to kale or something.”

“Just stuff them down by force,” Levi suggested casually.

“Maybe I’ll make a carrot cake… they’ll eat that, right? It’s got carrots, that should be good enough…” Petra pondered. “Also, where’s Farlan been lately? He’s been in and out at all hours of the day and night. I saw him walking out with an umbrella on that rainy day last week.”

“No idea,” Levi sighed. “Probably found another girlfriend.”

“Was he always such a lady’s man?”

“He used to be a tutor that lured young women into his perverse daydreams while they were supposed to be studying,” Levi spoke dryly. “Lady’s man? No. Shameless slut? Yes.”

“It’s a wonder you two are best friends,” Petra gave Levi a little poke on the arm before hopping onto the stool next to Eren. “Eren, we usually throw a little welcome party for anyone who joins our little family. I wanted to wait until you were a little more comfortable, but would it be okay if we could have one for you?”

“Oh, sure,” Eren got a little excited at the thought of a party. He’d never been to one before but knew they were full of fun and laughter, something he could definitely use more of. Sure, he never imagined a party with vampires as guests but it was a party nonetheless. He had to admit, he was getting more curious by the day about his hidden housemates.

“Perfect,” Petra clapped her hands together with a huge smile. “Now hurry up so you aren’t late for your appointment!”

“We’ll be completing a thorough physical health exam as well as a mental exam. It should only take an hour or so. I’m assuming your vampire will be leaving us soon so we can have some privacy,” the nurse from the TRA coldly spoke, staring Eren down as she marked a few things on her clipboard. Why did she have to put it like that? _Your_ vampire, as if Eren owned Levi or something. Also, why did she remind Eren of the robots he’d seen in movies? Her stare was so icy and impersonal that it was off-putting.

“Sure, I guess,” Eren felt obligated to say. He really wouldn’t have minded the company in the midst of someone representing his most hated agency. He refused to trust anyone from the TRA, even if they were just checking up on his overall wellbeing. Still, he figured they probably wanted Levi out to make sure Eren didn’t feel pressured to lie during the mental portion of the exam. Levi shifted uncomfortably before them, not taking his leave from their little makeshift clinic quite yet.

They used Hange’s lab much to their dismay. Hange was forced out and locked into the study to help Petra clean and Moblit helped corral them away. It was an entire ordeal just to get to a sterile, non-disruptive place to hold the exam. The nurse yanked the heavy curtains open to let the last bit of setting sunlight in and wrinkled her nose when Levi just took a step back into the shadows. Eren wondered what was going through her head and almost wanted to punch her for trying to hurt Levi like that. It was most likely just a way to force him out safely, but Levi wasn’t deranged like that. Could a sunset hurt a vampire? Eren wasn’t so sure.

She pulled on some plastic medical gloves with a snap, “So?” She was then pushing Levi out with the word rather rudely when the nasty sunlight trick didn’t work. Her distaste toward vampires was made eminent and was probably the single thing she and Eren had in common. Though, Eren almost wanted to fall in love with a vampire just to smite her. Really, he figured, they weren’t all _that_ bad.

“No blood tests,” Levi stated firmly. “No needles. No hurting him in _any_ way or I will be coming back in without hesitation.”

The nurse nodded, rolled her eyes, and waved him out. Eren offered him a little smile and a wave as if to say _I’ll be fine_. It was enough to get Levi to leave without more of a fuss. When he finally did, the nurse relaxed ever so slightly. Eren wanted to get it all over with as quickly as he could to escape her demon-like presence.

The nurse went through various tests that weren’t too scary. She took his blood pressure, temperature, height, and weight. She looked in his ears and down his throat with a special light. She examined his skin and neck. All of which she did without a word, which started to make Eren uncomfortable.

“By the looks of it, he has not bitten your neck yet,” she noticed. “Our intel has been confirmed.”

“No, not yet,” Eren replied lowly. He wasn’t sure whether to be embarrassed or not. In the way she said it, she made it seem like that was a bad thing.

“He’s clever, I suppose. I couldn’t say that for some other vampires we assess. Your paperwork states you were malnourished and underweight when you came here. It looks like you’re on the right track to a healthy weight again. If he’d turned you right away, it’s safe to say it would have been a painful and even dangerous experience. But that does make for some complications on our end.” She clicked her tongue and grabbed a clipboard with a series of questions. “Would you say you’ve been abused at all during your stay here in any way, shape, or form? This is strictly confidential between you and me. I want you to be honest, Eren, so we can protect you.”

“Abused? No, not at all!” he was quick to say. He definitely didn’t think his situation was fair in the least, but Levi and his family never treated him poorly.

“Has the vampire forcibly taken blood from you?”

“No.” Eren almost wanted to laugh at that. He nearly had to beg Levi just to bite his arm so he wouldn’t starve himself any further.

“Have you encountered any other vampires during your time here? Or have you only interacted with this household?”

“I’ve only met a few people here. Mostly humans.”

“Have you and anyone in this household partaken in intercourse?”

“What? No!” Eren swallowed a lump in his throat and felt his cheeks heat up. Why would she even ask something like that?

As if reading his mind, she answered, “In the few cases we have where the Type O human has reached adulthood, it is common for them to form a sort of romantic bond with their vampire. I need to make sure this relationship isn’t swaying your answers or impacting your overall health.” Ignoring his stunned expression, she hummed some more and tapped on her clipboard, “Would you say you’re happy here?”

That was quite a question and Eren had no idea how to answer it. At least it distracted him from the intercourse comment. Was he really happy there? What would happen if he said ‘no’? Why would he even say ‘no’? No one hurt him, he finally got to know what it felt like to have a full stomach, and beside his obvious grudges against the situation he still discovered a new happiness bubbling from within. Still, it wasn’t home and his mother was still gone.

“You’re hesitating,” she noticed. “Eren, say the word and we can take you far away from here this second. You won’t have to see Levi Ackerman ever again. We’ll fit you in with the family that works best for you. The VAT grants us the rights to keep you safe.”

“Please don’t take me away!” Eren blurted out. He took a second to think over her words and realized just how fucked up they were. “Sorry, it’s just… cruel. You kill my mom and now you’re acting like you care about me? Seriously?” Eren stood in his renewed anger and shook his head. “Look, I’m fine. Just go.”

“We must complete the exam before I may leave,” she insisted. “I can tell you right now, I think you may be in need of some anti-depressants.”

Eren could only gape at her. “Seriously? You’re telling me that now?”

“I understand you’ve been through a fair amount of trauma in a short amount of time. It’s common for us to prescribe some anti-depressants among other things in order to help you get back on track and assist you in adjusting to a new lifestyle. I’d also like to recommend some vitamin D as well as some iron supplements.”

Her monotone, robotic voice chucked him over the edge and he slammed his hands against the metal table in frustration. “A _fair_ amount? Are you kidding me? You people _ruined_ my life. You _murdered_ my mom. Now, you’re telling me to take some fucking vitamins and get over it? You’re giving me some pills as some kind of sympathy gift? Honestly, you’re just all happy that we can keep the vampires off your asses! You’re just happy it’s not you!”

“Eren, please calm down or I will be forced to sedate you,” she grasped for a syringe from the table. “I understand why you’ve lost your temper and I will ask that you take some deep breaths and finish the exam.”

“Like hell I’m going to…” Eren felt the strangest impulse and followed it without a second thought, “ _Levi_!”

He didn’t have to call twice before the double doors slammed open. Levi and Mike were standing in the archway, surveying the situation. Levi’s eyes caught the syringe in the nurse’s hand and he was zipping forth with vampiric speed to put himself between Eren and the nurse. “ _What do you think you’re doing?_ ” he hissed out.

“Mr. Jaeger appears to be on the brink of a meltdown. I was going to put a stop to it before he hurt me or himself. He’s already got a few warnings stamped in his paperwork, so I’ve been instructed not to hesitate.” Eren was surprised to hear that even in Levi’s domineering, supernatural presence, the nurse remained calm. Her voice didn’t even tremble. “This isn’t uncommon, Sir Ackerman. Type O humans go through plenty of stress, especially the older ones like Eren. I trust you’ll respect the special care he will need going forth and the precautions we must take to keep him, as well as others he cares about, safe.”

“You think I’d hurt someone I care about?!” Eren put a hand on Levi’s shoulder to shove him to the side. The vampire moved a few inches so Eren could at least look the nurse in the eye. “I’m about to hurt _you_ if you don’t just _go._ I’m fucking _fine_ and I’ll stay fine as long as you and the rest of the TRA gets the hell out of my face.”

She picked up her things rather quickly, shoving them all haphazardly into her briefcase before tapping her way out of the lab. Mike escorted her through the house and out the door. All the while, Eren took some deep breaths and realized just how liberating his words were. They didn’t change anything, but it got them out of his soul and into the ear of someone representing his enemy. No, the nurse probably didn’t deserve the words. No, she didn’t personally kill Eren’s parents. However, Eren’s fury didn’t recognize the bounds of who was directly responsible and who was an innocent bystander. He cursed out a TRA member and that was enough to curb his inner grudge and quench his scorching anger. It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough.

“Did she hurt you?” Levi asked first, looking Eren up and down to assess for any physical damage.

“No, sorry, I just…”

“You don’t have to be sorry, you know. You have every right to be infuriated. I wouldn’t have judged you if you killed her.”

For some reason, Eren actually believed him too.

Mike stepped back in with a hand full of orange prescription bottles. “She handed me these and told me to give them to Eren. Levi’s supposed to call when you run out and she’s sending someone back next week for another exam.”

“No,” Eren was quick to object. “I don’t want any of them here.”

“We have to let them evaluate you to make sure I’m not killing you,” Levi sighed. “It was a part of the agreement. It wouldn’t do the human race much good if we took all the Type O’s and just drained them all. They’ve got to make sure we keep you all alive.”

As terrible as the notion, it made sense. Eren grit his teeth and hopped up on the lab table to sit facing Levi. “Will they ever stop coming?”

“Once you’re marked. Then you’ll be immortal and they don’t really have to worry about anything killing you.”

“Why can’t you just do it, then?”

“It’s not as simple as you think!” Levi’s voice grew to a threatening volume, but Eren didn’t shrink back. He wondered if everyone else in the household bowed willingly to Levi’s dominating tones because Levi seemed rather confused when Eren didn’t back down.

“Really? Or are you just making it more difficult than it has to be?” Eren challenged with growing anxieties. “It seems to be pretty fucking difficult without the damned marking, so what’s your problem? Do you not want me as your personal blood bag or something? Is there something wrong with me?”

“Nothing could ever be wrong with you,” Levi let out rather softly. The words carried a little more meaning than what Eren was trying to drag out and he shut his mouth at the tone. A new awkwardness hung between them, but luckily, they weren’t the only ones in the room.

Mike cleared his throat and passed the plastic bottles to Levi, the meds rattling inside of them all the while. He turned to Eren and said gently, “Levi’s too selfless to turn you yet. He wants to give you a few more days in the sun. He’ll wait until the very last minute, like he always does, but he’ll come through in the end. Please forgive his romanticism of the human lifespan.” With that, he turned and left. Mike seemed like the type of person who saved his voice for only the best and most needed of words, Eren could easily tell he was honest and kind. The assurance was enough to bring his panic down to a minimum level and allowed him to think a bit more clearly.

“Sorry,” he breathed. “This is just… a lot.”

“It really is,” Levi agreed, leaning back on one of the metal tables. “I never thought I’d meet you and I never realized it’d be this…”

“Weird?” Eren offered.

“Yeah,” Levi quickly agreed. “It’s weird.”

“Didn’t you expect this, though? I mean, I know it’s been a while but you’ve had another Type O before, haven’t you?”

“Not straight from the source,” Levi shook his head. “It’s just you.”

Eren could have stabbed the thickness between them with a fork, but it wasn’t awkward anymore. Whatever it was let Eren know that the tectonic plates underlying his relationship with Levi were shifting into something potentially destructive or positively thrilling. Either way, Eren figured he should brace himself before falling completely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you're all having a lovely season <3 I thank you for your patience!
> 
> It's come to my attention that Ao3 has not been sending out emails to some who have subscribed to this story. If you're interested in sort of a back-up in case you don't get the notification, feel free to comment anything in the comment section (even if it's just a * or something)- I'll always reply to the comments after I upload a new chapter so at least you'll get an email alert (if you're signed up for that!) that I've replied to your comment! 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	9. Chapter 9

“Okay, who here is on their period?” Levi groaned, letting his forehead rest on the cool kitchen counter. “Petra’s doesn’t start until next week. Hange doesn’t get them. Eren and Moblit have dicks, I think. Who’s left?”

The sour scent of tainted blood was giving him a headache. The legends were true, menstruating women were a true terror to all creatures that walked the earth. He even kept a schedule book so he knew to avoid and when, mainly being Petra. Petra was a true horror during that special week of the month. History didn’t lie when they banished women to the outskirts of town during their menstrual cycle, it made a terrific biological barrier to keep the beasts at bay.

“Oh, shit, sorry Levi. I forgot about your sensitive nose,” Farlan rounded the corner with a new girl plastered to his side. This one looked quite spritely with a huge, toothy smile and bright red hair.

“My bad. Think you could use your vampire magic to make this shit go away?” she laughed, unabashed and smiling all the same. At that moment, Levi sort of hoped Farlan kept her around for a while. In a way, she reminded him of an equally vibrant human he held dear to his heart.

“No can do,” he returned with a hint of a smile.

“Sucks for both of us then. Think we can survive?”

“I’d be a shame for me to live a few hundred years only to be brought down by your inability to conceive,” he smirked at that and returned his view to Petra who was working diligently on the evening feast. The entire household had gotten up before dusk to help with Eren’s welcome party and Petra was on the ‘Food Committee’, as she put it.

Hange smashed in with Moblit following close behind. “The Outdoor Decoration committee has completed their tasks!” they announced rather loudly.

“Shush!” Petra scolded. “We don’t want to wake Eren up!”

“Who’s Eren?” Isabel asked.

“Levi’s boyfriend,” Farlan muttered back.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Levi was quick to clarify.

“Okay, let’s call him Levi’s favorite personal blood-bag, then,” Farlan amended with a cheeky smile. He was obviously just trying to press at Levi’s buttons.

And it was fucking working. “Don’t call him that either,” Levi sharply warned, giving into Farlan’s taunting. Blood-bag was a much more insulting term than boyfriend in Levi’s opinion.

Farlan snorted with laughter and Isabel gave him a little slap on the arm. “I like to call myself Farlan’s blood-buddy,” she giggled. “It sounds much nicer than blood-bag.”

“The day I get to hear Levi say ‘buddy’ will be the day the world ends,” Hange spoke while grabbing a half-gallon jug of orange juice from the fridge. Their name was written out on the plastic in big, bold letters though Levi wondered why anyone would want to steal orange juice that was a week past its expiration date. Hange drank right out of the carton like a barbarian.

“Blood-donor? No, we need something that has more feeling behind it.” Petra suggested instead, opting for something more appropriate. Levi sighed when Petra got in on the teasing, that was when he knew he was in trouble.

“Hot blood-donor?” Farlan amended with that same shit-eating grin. When Levi shot him a look, he simply shrugged, “I mean, he’s got a pretty face. We all know it.” When Isabel shot him a look, Farlan covered his ass yet again. “Not as pretty as yours though.”

“He’s so cute, it distracts us from Levi’s scowl,” Petra hummed with a smile. “By the way, you seem healthier than usual. Have you been… indulging?” She wiggled her eyebrows as she said ‘indulging’ and it made Levi want to walk out of the room without another word. After years of pleading for him to drink someone’s blood, he’d finally succumb to it and she seemed to smug about the entire ordeal. She deserved a little pride for being so goddamn right about his health- just the few gulps of Eren’s blood he indulged in had him feeling like an entirely new person.

“We found a compromise,” he summed it up and pointed to the pot on the stove that was nearly boiling over. Petra hurriedly tended to it, dropping the subject all together.

But Hange wasn’t ready to drop it whatsoever. “ _Tell me_ , what does it taste like? What’s the consistency? Does Eren experience any pain… or pleasure?”

“You know, it’s this incredibly delectable taste of _none of your fucking business_ ,” he hissed out that last part and shooed them away to go decorate some more. He really wasn’t angry but rather anxious. After spending a lifetime engrained in not giving a fuck about what others thought, he got a spark of fear when thinking about Eren’s reaction to their little welcome party.

Would he be afraid of the changelings? Would he hate it? Would he see it as an insult?

“Didn’t live out several hundred years for this infantile bullshit,” he cursed at his own mind and got back to his assigned committee- the _Keep Eren Busy_ committee as Petra put it. As the sole member, he took the entire responsibility of keeping the party a surprise while the others finished up their tasks. He picked up the breakfast tray he’d been preparing since sneaking out of his own bedroom before dawn and hauled it up the stairs to his hot blood-buddy.

Levi nudged in silently and set the tray on the end table near the bed, opting to sit at the edge and softly brush the hair from Eren’s face with a feather-like touch. The heavy curtains left the room nearly pitch-black, but Levi could easily see every little detail on Eren’s face with his vampiric gaze. There were so many elements to his being that Eren knew nothing of, as Levi attempted to keep himself as human as possible for his Omega’s comfort.

Though technically, Eren wasn’t Levi’s Omega and he wouldn’t be until Levi marked him.

Levi’s fingers brushed across Eren’s exposed neck, drifting over the tight tendons and soft skin. The neck was so symbolic, a necessity for life and the link between the mind and body. It was there that Levi would lay claim to Eren, injecting himself into Eren’s mind, body, and soul for the rest of eternity. He leaned forward slowly, tempted to bury his nose in the intimate space but stopped himself when Eren started to murmur in his sleep.

“Mom, can I go outside? Please? No? Okay… I got to go outside… And kill them all, I will… Tear off their stupid heads…” The whispers came out as raspy growls and Levi couldn’t picture Eren anymore endearing. His fingers grasped at the blankets as if he were strangling them and Levi’s heart did a little flip. Perhaps he’d been spending too much time plotting violence against his own kind and not enough time watching romantic comedies with Petra and Moblit.

Suddenly, Eren was leaping up in bed and nearly smacking his face into Levi’s. He stared with wide eyes for just a millisecond before realizing where he was and who he was with. The telltale realization crossed his facial features and he softened immediately. “Don’t watch people when they sleep, it’s creepy,” he muttered, averting his gaze to the bedside table where he saw the tray. “Breakfast in bed?” That had him perking up.

Levi stepped around the bed to grab the tray and deposited it in Eren’s lap, standing next to the bed and staring Eren down with anticipation.

Eren just shook his head and tilted his head toward the empty side of the bed. “Sit. You can eat while I eat.”

“What’s with you wanting me to feed me all the time?” Levi had to tease, honestly curious.

“That’s the reason I’m here, you look hungry, you’re always trying to feed me, if you die I’ll get shipped off somewhere worse, it’s not that bad, I’m feeling generous…” Eren listed off the reasons while wearing a smug little smirk.

“That’s an awful lot of excuses. Are you sure you don’t just want my lips on you?” Levi let out without even realizing it. “Because that’s reason enough, you know.”

“Shut up,” Eren scolded, grabbing a fork from the tray and holding it up in a silent threat.

“Right, right,” Levi waved the fork away and slowly shook his head. “You eat first. If you don’t eat, you don’t shit. And if you don’t shit, you die. Take that health lesson to heart, it’s the only one you’re getting from Doctor Levi.”

Eren grumbled but took a bite out of the scrambled eggs. He paused for a moment and then continued going in for more and more. When the eggs disappeared, he went in for the toast which didn’t last long either. Finally, the sausages were the last food group standing and Eren ravished them as well.

Something about watching Eren eat had captured Levi’s attention as well as his heart. But what really got to him was when Eren asked, “Wow, did you make this?”

Levi was proud to admit he did, though covered it up with a casual tone.

“For someone who can’t eat people-food, this is _incredible_ ,” Eren ran his finger across the empty plate to collect the leftover crumbs. “Are you sure Petra didn’t make this?”

“She might have given me a little guidance,” Levi shrugged, “But she was too busy to really help me out much.”

“Busy? With what?”

Levi paused, realizing he just blew their cover. Normally, he wouldn’t have been so thoughtless but Eren had his mind running in so many different directions it was hard to keep his typically honed focus. If Levi wasn’t getting distracted by Eren’s voice, he was paying attention to his eyes. If it wasn’t the eyes, it was his lips. If it wasn’t his lips, it was his neck. The pattern continued down until Levi was wondering what Eren’s shoe size was and that was usually when Levi realized just how ridiculous and mismanaged his train of thought was.

“Cleaning,” Levi lied, hoping that was one of the few times he’d ever have to lie to his future Omega.

“This early? Late?” Eren looked at the digital alarm clock and squinted. “This nocturnal bullshit is messing me up.”

“I wish I could say you get used to it,” Levi sighed with a little relief, happy to know Eren was still clueless of his surprise party. “She wanted to get a head start.”

Eren set the tray aside and sluggishly left the bed, stretching out his muscle groups one by one in the laziest fashion until he was walking toward the door. Levi, in a panicked haste, used his vampiric speed to put himself between Eren and the exit. “I think you should shower first. Petra really wants to keep things clean,” he uttered.

He only received a confused stare from Eren. “I was heading toward the bathroom anyway,” he yawned, brushing past Levi to the bathroom. He shut the door behind him and Levi smacked his own forehead for being such a dolt.

After a few minutes, his cellphone was buzzing in his pocket. He flicked the touch screen to find that Petra had texted him to let him know everything was ready. It was Levi’s cue to knock on the bathroom door and yell for Eren to meet him in the kitchen once he was done getting ready. Before Levi could finish his sentence, Eren opened the bathroom door and popped his head out. “What was that?” he asked innocently.

Levi’s eyes wandered down Eren’s naked torso. Somewhere between brushing his teeth and starting the shower, Eren had removed his shirt. Somewhere between yelling at Eren and ogling at his bare chest, Levi had lost his ability to speak properly. “Downstairs. When you’re finished. Please,” he managed to get out.

“Oh, yeah, sure,” Eren smiled and nodded, still completely oblivious to his own Adonis-like beauty. It simply wasn’t fair how his unmarked skin called out for Levi’s fangs. After filling out a bit, Levi could see the buildup of muscle that also shouldn’t have been legal either. And after his mouth started to water after catching the sight of those two dark nipples, Levi tore himself from the doorway and nearly sprinted down the hall to the nearest open room. The sudden arousal reminded him of his pubescent years, which wasn’t exactly a fond memory whatsoever.

How could one boy make a man with hundreds of years’ worth of experience crumble? It seemed deadlier than any power Levi possessed. He had to wonder if it’d eventually break him or, rather, create something completely new.

 * * *

Eren was pawing through the dressers and closets again, wondering firstly why Levi had so many different kinds of clothes and secondly why the vampire was acting so strangely that dusk. He stood in the walk-in closet, flipping past some military uniforms that looked like they were from the civil war. With Levi’s age, Eren believed they actually were.

He opted for a more modern outfit, jeans and a plain black t-shirt. Eventually, he’d really have to talk to someone about getting clothes that weren’t so tight on him or something. In the meantime, he’d shimmy into the jeans and hop up and down a few times to fit them over his ass.

He glanced at himself in the full-length mirror and hardly recognized the person staring back at him. It’d only been a few weeks and he looked completely new. He looked less hollow, brighter, and somehow livelier after living with the undead.

“Seems like things are going okay, Mom,” he whispered. “They’re taking good care of me, I think. If they weren’t, I bet you’d haunt them or something.”

Where there was hope, there was also doubt. For Eren, he believed there always would be doubt when dealing with the vampires. They either truly cared about him, or they were just fattening him up to eat later. One or the other. Eren knew he didn’t have much of a choice either way, he just hoped he’d have the strength to fight them off when the time came.

Or, maybe, they honestly did care. Eren hated how much he hoped it to be true. Seeing their smiling faces and hearing their kind words disarmed him and tore down the defenses he’d been building up for so long.

In the end, he was still wobbling on the fence. To trust, or not to trust? It was an uncomfortable standoff and confusing, but he just couldn’t help it. He blamed it on the way Levi’s eyes were so captivating and tended to throw him off guard. Or how his voice sounded after just waking up. When he was with Levi, his world seemed to brighten up and regain its beauty. When he was alone, he had to face the truth. The unknown was terrifying and Eren had to face it with a brave face.

He distracted himself from the impending myriad of dark thoughts and worries by rushing down the stairs. The house was oddly quiet and he looked around all the main rooms to find no one around. “Tells me to come down the stairs for what? Hide and seek?” Eren mumbled, growing tired of being alone.

A flash of color out the window caught his eye and he opened up the door leading to the backyard to find a group of people standing under a banner strung between two trees reading _Welcome Eren._ They had set up a picnic table by the pool with tons of food and seating. There were candles and lanterns hung up around the scene to brighten up the night. A light song was playing in the background that was pleasant even though Eren had never heard it before. “Surprise!” they all yelled in terrible unison.

Any cold doubt living in his soul melted at the sight.

He recalled Levi mentioning a welcome party, but they hadn’t talked about it since getting Eren’s permission to throw one. Eren definitely didn’t expect it to come around so soon and he was surprised to see so many new faces standing around the table.

“He looks a little _too_ surprised. Did we break him?” Hange leaned over to mutter to Levi. “Go check to make sure he’s not completely frozen or something.”

“I’m not frozen, I promise, just, wow,” Eren breathed out. “Thank you.”

“We thought it’d be a great way to officially welcome you to our family,” Petra smiled warmly. “You’re stuck with us now, whether you like it or not. We like you too much to let you go!”

Levi was the first to approach him and whisper, “You okay?”

“Definitely,” Eren nodded happily and let Levi take him towards their hodgepodge of a family. He’d throw doubt to the wind in favor of basking in the warmth of the unknown.

Petra, Hange, and Moblit all took part in the snacks they’d prepared. Eren was happy enough to indulge as well, complimenting Petra on the spread and stuffing his face before Levi escorted him to meet the changelings.

Mike, of course, was there conversing with a pair named Gunther and Eld. Gunther gave Eren a big smile and a little wave. He looked brawny, strong, and friendly enough. If it weren’t for the fangs sticking out against his lower lip, Eren would have mistaken him for a human. Eld, the blond next to him with the ponytail, looked a little less human with paler skin and longer fangs. Still, he smiled too and introduced himself just as nicely.

Levi brought him to a new pair next, a redheaded girl stuffing her face full of muffins and a blond guy next to her holding on to three more for her to devour later. “So, _you’re_ Eren,” she spoke with her mouth full. “I’m Isabel, Farlan’s blood-buddy and girlfriend.”

“I’m Farlan,” the blond clarified and set a hand on her head, “This one’s boyfriend.” He moved his hand to Levi’s head, “And this one’s best friend.”

“Best friend, huh?” Eren cocked his head to the side. It was almost hard to believe. “With Levi, really?”

Before Levi could even open his mouth to say something snarky back, Farlan was already talking. “I know, he’s a bit brash, no? I’ve learned to find it endearing. He’s got good qualities hiding in that cold, undead heart of his.”

“He does, does he?” Eren looked between Farlan and Levi.

“Brats,” Levi rolled his eyes and crossed his arms in exasperation. “I think it’s about time I finally kicked Farlan out of the house.”

“You’d miss me,” Farlan smirked. The guy was too smart for his own damned good. He was also a lot of other things, but Levi had grown fond enough of the changeling that he’d never really kick him out. They’d been through hell and back together until finally ending up in a peaceful place to call home and building up a family structure so they wouldn’t have to be alone any longer. “Anyway, Eren, have I got some stories for you! We’ll have to unveil all of the embarrassing stories featuring the famous Sir Levi.”

“Or we could see how many socks we can shove down Farlan’s throat to get him to shut up,” Levi suggested with equal, fake enthusiasm.

“Let’s do both,” Isabel clapped her hands together with a devious smile.

The banter ended when Levi eventually steered Eren away to the humans again for a chat concerning their eventful morning. Petra giggled and mentioned that Levi had been nervous. Hange complained that they got yelled at a lot for being too loud and Moblit confirmed it was true and that Hange _was_ being too loud. All the others joined in their little circle and were chatting just like old friends. Eren wanted to feel a little anxious with so many people around, but he simply couldn’t feel it. The party was beautiful, the laughter was soothing, and there wasn’t a single face in the crowd that made him feel the slightest bit uneasy.

As things winded down, he found himself sitting at the edge of the pool and gazing into the water. Colored lights from the sides were illuminating the pool in a magical kind of way, making the teal blue pop and glow. Eren swished his feet in the cold water, watching as he made ripples and little waves that reached out to the other ends.

He couldn’t stop wondering why he’d been so doubtful. He couldn’t stop wondering why he couldn’t let himself be happy. He couldn’t stop wondering what kept holding him back from diving into the new life he had.

Fear was a bitch.

He teetered on the edge of the pool, fully aware that the water was too deep for him to stand in. It was nothing like a bath or a shower, the full submersion was overwhelming and brilliant.

Just let go of the past and let the future swallow you whole.

Eren fell forward into the water and found himself sinking dangerously fast. He flailed his arms in the water and couldn’t stay afloat. It was then he remembered, _he couldn’t swim_.

He opened his mouth to yell out for help but only got a mouthful of pool water in return. He kicked his legs fruitlessly and felt the weight of the water forcing his lungs to collapse and ache. The water stung his eyes but he couldn’t close them as he stared up at the surface with need. He watched as the moon laughed at him from above, the water cast a dancing filter over it.

Even in his struggle, Eren couldn’t deny how beautiful the moon looked from under water. As it loomed over him, it was both cruel and dazzling.

The image was destroyed when a dark figure dove into the water and broke the surface’s glassy finish. Eren looked on with wide eyes at the dark figure approaching him. He wanted to scramble back, but he was stuck in place. It didn’t matter though, because a pair of grey eyes stared at him in alarm and a halo of dark hair flowed around his vampire’s face. If Eren didn’t know any better, he would have imagined him as an angel coming to the rescue.

But it was Levi who came to the rescue instead, already wrapping his arms around Eren to lift him up and out. Wet bodies pressed together, wet and warm compared to the temperature of the water. When they popped out from under, Eren’s body started coughing and heaving for the air he desperately needed. Levi held him still until Eren’s hacking ceased and he’d caught his breath.

“You okay?” Levi gasped, panting as well for air he really didn’t need.

“Fine,” Eren lied. “I can’t swim.”

“I can see that,” the vampire returned with a little chuckle. “You terrified me with that stunt. Trying to drown yourself or something?”

“No, I just wanted to get into the water.”

“Even though you can’t swim?”

“Yeah, it was too pretty to resist.”

“Idiot,” Levi breathed out with a smile. “Don’t scare me like that again, okay?”

“I’ll try not to,” Eren assured, finally able to smile again. Levi set him at the edge again, but only until he hefted himself out of the pool too. He then picked Eren up again with ease and gave a wave to the crowd before taking him back inside.

“You’re freezing,” Levi muttered. “We need to dry you off.”

“I’m f-f-f-fine,” Eren got out in his fit of shivers.

“You’re not fine, you’re a human popsicle,” Levi amended, making Eren laugh, and used a little more speed to get them to the master bedroom. Once they reached their destination, he went through a quick routine of setting Eren down in the nearest armchair and throwing him a towel from the bathroom. Once he was properly bundled up in a series of fluffy bath towels, Eren stopped shivering and started chuckling to himself at just how silly the whole thing was.

He surely wasn’t suicidal, that wasn’t why he fell into the pool. It wasn’t on accident either. Perhaps he wanted to test just how deep he could fall into the unknown and untested. Or just how deadly it was to submerge himself into a situation he couldn’t swim out of. Either way, he didn’t have to worry. Levi could come after him and that was good enough for Eren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading and I hope you have a lovely new year! 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	10. Chapter 10

“Yeah, kick your legs, just like that,” Levi instructed firmly. He made it his new life goal to teach Eren how to swim, fearing another drowning incident. The moment he saw Eren’s head disappear under the water, Levi could have sworn his entire, miserable, much-too-long life passed before his eyes. Eren lived his entire life shoved into a tiny little shack, of course he didn’t know how to swim. Levi had planned on teaching him, but didn’t expect Eren to go diving in before then.

That next evening, Levi threw a pair of swimming shorts at Eren (that may or may not have been a little tight on the human) and demanded they head down for Eren’s first lesson. It was the first time he’d ever been so adamant about having Eren do something, but to Levi it was important enough to stress. He threw on his own swimming shorts and led Eren down to the empty backyard. He guessed his scent kept everyone else at bay, he still hadn’t fully calmed down since the previous night. It wasn’t like he couldn’t have just bitten Eren and made him immortal, but that wasn’t exactly the way he wanted to mark his human. Mike was, unfortunately, right in saying that Levi was hopelessly romantic at heart—especially when it came to Eren, who seemed to change everything in Levi’s world at first sight.

Levi used his magic to light the lanterns surrounding the pool and turned on the electric lights inside the pool for ample lighting. They started off in the shallow end where he held onto Eren by the waist and instructed him to work on kicking through the water. He’d touched Eren before, but holding him as the human was weightless in the water held a completely different feeling. Eren’s shallow stomach had filled out since he’d been eating proper, healthy meals and there was finally some cushion between Eren’s skin and ribs. The wet, skin-to-skin contact was definitely not helping Levi focus on teaching and he had to stop himself from letting his mind wander.

“I swear, I won’t let you out of the house again until I know you can swim properly,” Levi muttered, thinking back on the pure fear he felt at the thought of Eren drowning. It was unlike any fear he’d ever experienced before, or at least anything he’d felt in a few centuries. Levi hadn’t realized just how fickle and fleeting human life was until he had Eren to watch over. He held Petra, Moblit, and even Hange dearly but didn’t feel the surge of protectiveness that he did with Eren. They also didn’t end up in as many near-death situations either.

“I can swim just fine!” Eren protested with a little growl, kicking even harder to create a turbulent wake behind him. The splashes grew in noise until Eren’s legs got tired and he slowed his pace once more.

“Oh really?” Levi challenged, loosening his grip just a little.

“Shit! Levi! Don’t drop me!” Eren cursed, scrambling to get a hold on the vampire for safety. He climbed up Levi’s torso like a tree before realizing they were in four-foot deep water. He stood and cleared his throat, averting his gaze to the sky. “Wow, it’s a warm night, isn’t it?” he choked out in embarrassment.

“Yeah, yeah,” Levi actually smiled and shook his head a little at Eren’s ability to make anything look fucking adorable. “Get your ass back over here and figure out how to at least doggie-paddle for fuck’s sake.”

“It’s hard to concentrate with a shark in the water,” Eren joked, splashing at Levi a little before. “I have never heard of a vampire who liked to swim anyway.”

“It’s an activity that doesn’t change with time and probably never will,” Levi offered the short-version of his love for the water. “Do sharks outrank vampires on your least of creatures you hate?”

“Nah, vampires are the worst,” Eren took hold of the edge of the pool and pulled himself across to deeper waters. Levi swam beside him, ready to rush to Eren’s safety. “But if I accidentally cut myself and my blood gets into the water, will you go into some kind of feeding frenzy?”

“The blood of a vampire’s mate can do a lot of things, but you’re not my mate and I’m not a barbarian.”

“What about when I become your mate? Will you go into some kind of killing frenzy then?”

The fact Eren said _when_ and not _if_ had Levi’s dead heart fluttering as if he were among the living again. “Not a killing one, no,” he decided to say. It was a little more tasteful than the lustful truth.

“Weird.” Eren pushed off of the side and tried his new method of kicking and pawing at the water. It was a true-blue doggie paddle and Eren was grinning at the fact he could keep his head above the water. Before they even had time to celebrate, a new interruption caused them both to jump a little.

“Are we having a pool party over here?” a new voice rumbled across the yard and brought along a new, pureblood scent. The feral vampire living within Levi’s soul was snarling defensively and forced Levi over to Eren. He drew an arm around Eren’s waist to haul him across the pool and hefted him up to dry land like a ragdoll. Levi hopped out himself before promptly putting himself between Eren and the new visitor.

“Fuck, Levi, calm down,” the vampire held up his hands in a humanlike defense, though he didn’t bare his neck as he would in vampiric defense. It was just like Erwin Smith to retain his personal dominance at all times. The fucker.

“Shit, Erwin, don’t scare me like that,” Levi quickly decompressed. Out of all the vampires stalking the earth, Erwin wasn’t one that Levi minded. In fact, he had the sense to consider Erwin a friend. Erwin, much like him, held a more ancient mindset than the political bastards running the show.

While Levi had calmed, Eren was still backing away with fear and anxiety. His scent turned bitter and sour like a spoiled green apple. Interestingly enough, he took hold of Levi’s wrist and made a feeble attempt to pull him back away from Erwin as well, as if the length of the pool just wasn’t a safe enough distance. It was funny how even Eren knew of Erwin’s greatness, though it never seemed to outmatch Levi’s. A dark part of Levi’s heart wanted to prove to his human that Erwin would never outrank Levi’s strength and that Levi was more than capable of protecting Eren. The other, saner, part drove Levi to brush the wet hair out of Eren’s face and toss an arm over his shoulders. “It’s fine,” he murmured, pulling them around the pool to close the gap between the vampires.

As expected, two blond heads were popping out from behind him. Armin, the older Omega, was looking skeptically at Eren. Levi had met Armin several times before, likening him to a younger version of Erwin. Nanaba, the younger, glared at both of them. Erwin and Armin had been together for several decades, forming both a dependent and romantic bond with one another. Armin was twenty-one when he had been turned, that much Levi knew. The rest of the Alpha and Omega’s relationship was a mystery to Levi. While he and Erwin were close, it wasn’t common for vampires to divulge the ins and outs of their romantic relationships. They were much too territorial to let any precious moment be shared so frivolously.

Nanaba, however, was the newest member of Erwin’s family. She was eighteen, fiery, and constantly frowning. While he had never met her in person before, Levi knew Erwin had fought for her, killing the vampire who had originally purchased her from an auction. In Erwin’s defense, it wasn’t out of malice, greed or jealousy but rather of protection. The rescue mission was a bloody one and Levi respected Erwin’s efforts to rescue any Type O human from a vampire with ill will. She still held that fear and repulsiveness for vampires in her eyes, it reminded Levi of Eren’s. He didn’t blame her for retaining the rage after what had been done to her.

“I thought I’d introduce you to Nanaba, officially,” Erwin’s tone became quite gentle as he looked down to her and then to Levi. “Nanaba, this is my friend, Levi. He’s a lot like us. He’s not like the others.”

“Hi, Nanaba, it’s nice to meet you,” Levi threw on his own soft tone as well, sensing her fear. She was a spitting image of Eren when Levi had first seen him, pliant but fierce. It was his turn to make introductions and did a few obligatory gestures. “This is Eren. Eren, this is my friend Erwin, his partner Armin, and Nanaba.”

“Your friend?” Eren’s eyes darted between Levi and Erwin. “Since when do you have friends?”

Erwin snorted before letting out a chuckle. Armin smiled and laughed a little as well. Nanaba just kept staring with a frown, unfazed by the humor. She tucked her hands into the pocket of her light grey hoodie and looked toward the ground.

“Would you three get acquainted while I speak with Levi for a short moment?” Erwin asked Armin with a look of sincerity and comfort. Armin just nodded and guided Nanaba a little closer to Eren while Erwin gestured for Levi to join him aside. The two vampires stepped inside the house by the window so they each had a clear view of their Omegas outside.

“So, you finally decided not to starve yourself to death,” Erwin smiled. “Thank the Goddess of Death for that. You’re one of the good ones that are left.”

“You know I have to go to those auctions to appease the Vampiric Court as well as the TRA,” Levi sighed. “But I saw him there and couldn’t…”

“Let him go?” Erwin finished the sentence. “He seems to be… less murderous than you first described him to me as.”

“He’s really come around. I think he realizes that we’re on his side.”

“That’s good. Think of what could have happened if he landed in the house of one of the more… modern households?”

“I’d rather not,” Levi quickly replied. His and Erwin’s more traditional lifestyle of courting and treating an Omega with care differed from most of the more modern households where they were treated as pets, sustenance, and ornaments.

“Nanaba was in rough shape when we finally got to her. I really don’t think she’ll ever trust another vampire again. I was hoping she could visit with your doctor, Hange?”

“I’m not sure I’d classify Hange as a doctor. Voodoo doctor, maybe. Medical doctor? No.”

“I know they’ve got experience in therapy and they’re all I’ve got. I’m not letting Nanaba anywhere near those TRA agents, nor am I going to leave her alone to deal with her issues. She needs someone human, someone like Hange or even Petra for that matter.”

Levi couldn’t deny Petra and Hange’s parts in warming Eren up to Levi. “Fine, okay,” Levi smiled. “Just don’t blame me if Hange attempts to get a blood sample.”

“If she consents to one, I wouldn’t mind.”

Levi cocked his head at Erwin. “So, you’re not claiming her?”

“No, I’m perfectly satisfied with Armin and always will be. She just needed a safe household, so she can stay with me until someone proper comes along and wins her heart. Anyone less than perfect for her will have to go through me first.”

“What a good dad,” Levi jested, giving Erwin a playful shove.

“I’m assuming you wouldn’t want to court her?”

“I’ve got my hands full already. Her scent… isn’t my taste, really.”

“You’ve always been so picky,” Erwin chuckled. “It’s fine, I didn’t think you’d have an interest in courting her anyway. I’m just happy she can have some human companions now.”

“Still aren’t allowing humans in your home?”

“I don’t think the changelings have enough self-control yet. They’ve all been changed fairly recently and I doubt they could keep themselves restrained. Cute little fledglings, they are. They’ll learn, though. Eventually, they’ll learn.”

“Rescued them all too?”

“You know the only person I’ve ever sunk my teeth into was Armin and I plan on keeping it that way.”

“You’re such a gentleman,” Levi teased.

“As are you, I’ve heard. I do have to warn you, they’ll be sending in more and more court members until they’re certain you’ve marked Eren. If you don’t get to it soon, I’m sure they’ll find someone more fitting to stick him with and let you and your stubborn soul die for good.”

“They couldn’t,” Levi knew for sure.

Erwin turned to Levi with a more serious expression, the one he saved for their most sincere chats. “Levi, they know you’re weakened from years without blood. They know you’ve gained several allies, but allies only matter if they’re present. They know Eren is less than pleased to be in the clutches of a vampire and they know you’re vulnerable. You’ve got to either mark him or prepare for war.”

Levi let Erwin’s words flow through one ear and wrap around his brain a few times before flowing out. Eren wasn’t ready for a marking and possibly never would be. Levi knew a three-way war between himself and his allies, the TRA, and the Vampiric court would only lead to a useless bloodbath. Unluckily enough, Levi had quite the affinity for blood.

* * *

“So…” Eren glanced at the two strangers anxiously, unsure of how to socialize. The people in the movies made it seem so easy, so why was he having trouble thinking of even the simplest words to say?

“When did you move in here, Eren?” Armin asked politely, giving the best smile to help ease Eren’s nerves.

“A few weeks ago, I guess,” Eren actually had to think about his reply. It seemed like he’d been there for so long and had come so far since being stuck inside that cage on that fateful stage. “How long have you been…?” Eren had no idea how to finish the sentence. _Owned by Erwin? Marked by Erwin? Purchased by a fucking vampire?_

“Erwin and I have been together for a few decades now. Immortality makes time a little irrelevant in my case, though.”

Eren eyed the visible scar on Armin’s neck. “What’s it like, then?”

“Being marked?” Armin thought for a moment, collecting his memories aptly. “Like I’d been spending my life as a half and I’d finally become whole.”

Living as half? Eren understood that well. He’d spent most of his life trapped inside, unable to even touch the sun. Some days, he barely felt human. After meeting Levi, everything seemed to shift and form. At first, it was terrifying. Since then, though, it became something more. “And you?” he shifted his attention toward Nanaba.

She glared at him and spat, “I can’t believe you let them take you like this. I can’t believe you allow those _monsters_ to keep you here like little pets. You obey their rules and let them _eat_ you.”

“Not Erwin or Levi, Nanaba. I’ve told you a million times, they’re different. They’re trying to start something new.”

“They are?” Eren had to ask.

Armin looked up with a look of conflict before shaking his head and coming out with the truth. “They’re a part of a group set on saving Omegas like Nanaba from the others. They’re setting out to create a new society with new rules. They want to bring old traditions back into the modern world, to retain old rituals and make things better… for all of us. Those two and the rest of the Survey Corps will save all of us and change the world. I know it.”

“And how are they going to go about that? Haven’t they, I don’t know, realized there are countless vampires out there preying on anyone left with Type O blood? Haven’t they realized there’s an entire government agency set on delivering these people to the vampires so they can live forever and torment the human race for the rest of time?”

“Of course, they have,” Armin laughed. “They’ve just got something that a lot of people don’t.”

“Birds for brains?”

Armin snorted again with laughter and shook his head. “No. They’ve got hope.”

“Hope, hm?” Eren wasn’t used to the word nor the feeling. Still, if he could go from living in a box, to losing his mom, to living in a place where he wasn’t just a blood-bag… he supposed he could believe in something called hope.

Nanaba kept on glaring and frowning, unwilling to think anything more of the subject. Eren could see her story play out in her eyes, one very similar to his own. He could see the death of her family, her burning house, and the chase. He could see years of fear wearing down on her smile and the weight of anxiousness darkening her irises.

“Nanaba,” Erwin called from the kitchen, opening the French doors that led to the backyard as if inviting her in. “Come, please, there’s someone I want you to meet!”

Armin led her inside and Eren followed with curiosity. He watched as the trio made their way toward Hange’s lab. Before Eren could follow any further, a hand on his shoulder pulled him back. He glanced behind him to see Levi. “We’ll let them have their time with Hange, in the meantime how about you get dressed in something a little more appropriate?”

Eren glanced down at himself to realize he was, indeed, shirtless. It never really occurred to him as Levi was shirtless too. After the first few moments of speechlessness, he’d been able to get over it enough to learn how to paddle through the water. As they stood in the kitchen, though, they weren’t swimming any longer and Eren found his cheeks heating up rather rapidly.

Levi’s body looked to be chiseled out of stone by a sculptor wanting to demonstrate the essence of male beauty. Pale skin, rippling muscles, and pink nipples were full-on display for Eren’s wandering eyes. He had the sudden urge to hide himself in a broom closet. Compared to Levi, Eren was nothing. His ribs stuck out, his stomach sunk in, and his entire body was gangly and ill-looking. That sudden realization that he was just a tiny flame looking into the bright eyes of the sun had him scurrying back to their bedroom as fast as his legs could take him.

What did a beautiful, deadly lion like Levi see in a sick lamb like Eren? And why did Eren even care?

He got to the bedroom and shuffled through all the clothes until he could find something to help cover up. It felt nice to shed off the tight swimming shorts in favor of some dry boxers and the way his chilled skin warmed against dry fabric. Eren noticed Armin wore a rather smart outfit, chinos, a dress shirt, and even a blazer. Erwin was dressed in a grey suit. Was that how he was supposed to look to? It had him second guessing his sweatpants and dark grey t-shirt.

“All dressed?” Levi popped into the room dressed as well. Eren’s heart settled a little when he realized Levi looked just as casual as he was. In fact, they sort of matched. Even with the similar clothes though, Eren put a hand on his stomach and wished it would be tight with muscle like Levi’s. “Hey, you okay?” Levi asked. “Your scent is… insecure.”

“It’s scary how you can do that,” Eren let out in an annoyed mutter. It was like he couldn’t hide anything from the damned vampire.

Levi paused for a moment before leaning against the doorframe and cocking his head to the side, staring.

Eren squinted at him, “What are you doing?”

“Trying to figure you out.”

“Well, stop.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Understand what?”

“Why you feel like anything less than I,” Levi shrugged.

“Uh, let’s see… immortal, healthy, pretty, fit, wealthy, powerful…” Eren replied, his irritation growing fast.

The snarky remarks didn’t seem to faze Levi one bit and Eren wondered why until the word came out from Levi’s lips. “Pretty?”

Oh, shit. Eren let the little word slip. Still, it wasn’t a secret. “Well, yeah.”

Levi took a moment and let out the littlest laugh. He took a few confident steps forward, just enough to reach out and cup Eren’s jaw. “I may be those things to you, Eren. But you, you’re perfection. You have nothing to feel insecure about. You’ve been through hell and back, just to end up in the one place you’d lived to avoid. And even then, you smile. You can find the light even in the darkest of nights. To me, that’s perfection.”

Eren opened his mouth, but no words came out. No one had ever said those types of things to him before and speeches like that really only existed in poetry. Out of pure impulse, Eren leaned forward and found himself kissing Levi Ackerman dead on the lips. The kiss only lasted mere seconds, just a chaste meeting of lips before Eren backed away again and realized what he had done.

“Shitty vampire magic,” he blurted out, blaming his actions on some kind of love-spell Levi put on him or something. He knew the vampire wouldn’t do that do him, he knew it wasn’t magic, and he knew it wasn’t shitty. The motion felt natural and, dare he admit it, quite lovely. He had half a mind to do it again just to see the shocked look on Levi’s face. Another part of him was ready to stab a silver fork into Levi’s heart just to escape the sheer embarrassment of the situation he’d gotten himself into.

Levi’s lips were soft, warm, and plush. Just like the rest of him, they were goddamn perfect.

“Wasn’t it you that kissed me? I don’t remember doing anything,” Levi hummed with a little smile, finally breaking out of his initial astonishment.

“Shut up,” Eren rolled his eyes and pushed past Levi to escape the bedroom. “Or I won’t feed you for a week,” he threatened with a little smirk.

“I’m not sure you could resist giving it out for a whole week,” Levi was still challenging him with that stupid smile on his face. “You’re a sadist.”

“And you’re a masochist, trying to act all high and mighty. Hell, what if you’re just like every other vampire on the block and you’re just putting up an act?”

“You know I’m not.”

It was true, Eren did know it. Levi was different and always would be. He might be a stupid little lamb walking right into the lion’s den, licking the lion’s face and cuddling up next to it. Or maybe Eren was a lion too, in his own way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, everyone <3<3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	11. Chapter 11

It seemed Armin and Eren made for quick friends as they shared their thoughts over books and movies. They had made up Eren’s entire life before leaving that shack and Armin was a fan himself. Levi had to smile at the two as they exclaimed and laughed over their favorites, rarely disagreeing as they chatted over lunch. There was yet another person in Eren’s life that could make him smile, and that was enough to put Levi’s buzzing nerves at ease.

They were definitely running out of time.

Erwin, Nanaba, and Armin visited for three straight days in a row so Nanaba could get acquainted with Hange and divulge the past horrors of her life as a Type O human. The treatment seemed to be working as Nanaba brightened up with every passing day. It made for a happier Armin, which made for a happier Erwin too.

“It’s nice that they can be friends,” Erwin commented. “Armin doesn’t have many human friends anymore. They’ve either died or are too afraid to approach him anymore. I’ve been worried, despite my best affections, he’s been growing lonesome. This will be good for both of them.”

“I agree. Eren finally seems comfortable around us. I think it finally sunk in that not all vampires are shit,” Levi leaned against the countertop and looked back to the Omegas chatting on the far side of the kitchen with cups of cocoa in hand. “And that I’m not the worst creature in the world.”

“It’s only natural for you to like him like that. He’s an Omega that calls out to you. I find it funny that he’s resisting that primal urge for you too.”

“He’s stubborn. But he _did_ make the first move.”

“If you tell me the story about how he kissed you one more time…” Erwin teasingly threatened.

Levi blushed, not having realized he may have been relishing in the fact a little more than necessary.

“It’s unlike you to get so vocally excited,” Erwin chuckled. “It’s nice to see you happy for once.”

“Shut up,” Levi rolled his eyes and sighed. “It won’t last forever. They’ll just keep sending people over here until I mark him… and if I mark him…”

“Then what? You think he’ll hate you?” Erwin cut him off. “Don’t be an idiot. I know you want it to be special for the both of you. I know you’re waiting for the right time. But Levi, I think it’ll be easier for both of you if you just get it over with.”

“He’s not ready,” Levi argued sharply.

“He never will be. No one ever is. The only people you’ve ever changed have been inches from death. Should I slash him for you so you can feel okay about marking him?” Erwin joked.

But to Levi, any threat against his Omega was _not a joke._ He snarled at Erwin and bared his teeth, prepared for a fight. His scent raised in potency, filling the entire kitchen. It caused Erwin to take a few steps toward Armin, putting himself between Levi and the Omegas. But to Levi, it was a few more steps toward Eren. Armin sensed the tension and could smell Levi’s scent, he closed the gap between himself and Erwin, gripping onto the back of Erwin’s shirt tightly. “What did you say?” he hissed at his Alpha in scolding before looking to Eren. “Will you go calm Levi down?”

“Calm him down?” Eren squinted for a moment before glaring at Levi, “Stop looking so scary.” He stepped over to Levi fearlessly despite Levi’s threatening expression. Eren poked at Levi’s nose with the most annoyed expression. “Cool off, will you? You look like you want to rip my throat out or something.”

“I’d never,” Levi rushed to reply, his entire demeanor shifting as to not frighten his Omega. Just like that, he was back to normal again and feeling guilty as hell for blowing a fuse over a few joking words.

It was then Nanaba was joining them as they finished up her therapy session for the day and when Mike came hustling into the room at the scent of Levi’s fury. Mike, however, seemed more distracted by Nanaba than Levi. He ditched his worries for Levi in favor of crossing the room to shield Nanaba from the potential hostile vampire. “Levi…” he rumbled in question, eyes darting from person to person in hopes to read the situation.

“It’s fine,” Levi made an effort to use his magic to air out the space in order to restore the neutral scent. “We’re fine.”

“Good…” Mike breathed and turned back to Nanaba. “I apologize, I just wanted to make sure you were safe.”

“It’s… fine,” she quietly replied. For once, she wasn’t wearing a scowl or those sharp, glaring eyes. Instead, it was a look of awe that suited her quite nicely.

Levi was a bit tired of being treated like a wild animal and tossed a lazy arm around Eren’s waist. After all, it was nearing nine o’clock in the evening and Levi had a plan for their night.

“You guys can stay as long as you want, but we’re getting out of here. I think Eren will get a little stir crazy if he’s trapped in his house any longer,” Levi announced.

“We’re… going somewhere?” Eren lit up with excitement and perked up. “Where?”

Levi ruffled Eren’s hair and chuckled, “Wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you.”

“You two have fun on your date,” Erwin offered with a smile, “We’ll be back tomorrow.”

“We will?” Nanaba piped up, sounding oddly happy about the fact.

“Sure, unless you don’t want to,” Erwin’s head tilted to the side a little in question.

“No, no, it’s fine,” she blubbered out, eyes darting from Mike to Erwin. “Tomorrow is fine.”

After a slight pause from Erwin, he smiled and nodded. “Tomorrow it is. We’ll see you all then.” With that, the trio took their leave and Levi caught Nanaba glancing back at least two times before they were out the door.

“Can we go now?” Eren was practically hopping, tugging at Levi’s arm in anticipation.

“Yeah, you just have to promise not to freak out too much.”

“Freak out?”

“I think it’d be a bit more amusing to fly there.”

“Fly? We’re getting on a plane?”

“Not exactly.” It was enough explanation Levi needed to give, not wanting to waste any more time. As one of the oldest pureblood vampires, Levi had something many of his kin did not. The power from the first village his Goddess had ever visited, the image of a demon itself. Levi let the darkness in his old blood flow freely and concentrated on the instinctual pull of his true form. His body bent forward in an inhuman sort of way to allow for the change. Ram-like horns sprouted from his skull while black, bat-like wings crunched out from between his shoulder blades. The new appendages unfurled and flapped a few times to even out. Finally, a burning sensation in his tailbone pained him as his spine extended to its full length. His tail grew down to just above his heels, covered in black fur and topped with a pointed arrow of blackened bone designed to be used as a weapon. After years of use, the tip had dulled down quite a bit but with a little filing, Levi imagined it could be sharpened again. He hadn’t had a reason to fight in a few lifetimes. His claws were black and a little dull as well, unable to rip through like they used to. He knew his eyes were probably burning with the fires of hell, serving as tiny gateways between worlds.

It was a form he’d been hiding from Eren since the first day of their relationship together. It was a form Levi himself had kept hidden from the world. It was the form of a monster, the same monster he’d been designed after. The Goddess of Death saved him from the plague, but turned him into the human twin of her own army of demons that lurked the depths of Hell. She outdid herself, certainly, by not only saving Levi from the brink of death but also giving him a way to fight for his immortal life. He used to adore the strength of his true, adopted form, but after suffering the insanity of immortality he loathed it.

He had expected Eren to loathe it too, turning away from the physical form or perhaps even going for the cutlery again. Instead, he cocked his head to the side. “Wait, can all vampires do that? Is that what you really look like?”

“Not all can do this, only some of the originals. This is the form of the vampires from my village. Other purebloods have different forms. And yes, this is my true form. My human form is just a method of blending in.”

Eren was quiet for a moment and finally shrugged, “Damn, I was hoping you’d have some ugly true form or something to help me rationalize that you’re not so perfect. But… you look really fucking cool, Levi. Can you fly with those?”

Levi, albeit his shock of Eren’s reaction, replied, “Well, they’re not for decoration.”

“So, we’re going to fly? In the air? Without a plane?”

“That was the plan… unless…”

“Let’s go!” Eren’s eyes were wide with enthusiasm as he grabbed Levi’s clawed hand to yank him out the door. Once they’d gotten to the backyard, Eren dropped Levi’s hand and urged him on, “Come on, come on!”

“You’re… eager…” Levi slowly spoke, still unsure of how Eren could accept such a beast without even a beat of uncertainty.

“Are you kidding me? You said we’re going to fly! I’ve always wanted to fly, but I seriously never thought I’d be able to!” Eren was practically shouting in his excitement. “So, let’s go!”

If Eren wasn’t going to take a moment to fear, Levi decided he wouldn’t either. Instead, he’d fly straight forward without any worries or hesitation. “Okay,” he submitted to Eren’s zeal and literally swept him off his feet, carrying him bridal style. “Hold on tightly, don’t let go.”

The moment Eren’s arms linked around Levi’s neck, Levi flapped his wings a few times to get used to the old feeling. Flying was just like riding a bike, something instinctual and never forgotten. He jumped off the ground for a proper take-off and got his wings flapping against the wind hard enough to elevate them higher and higher, remembering to stay low enough to Eren to breathe easily and to give him a good view of the land below.

Just like that, they were off.

“Wow!” Eren exclaimed, his voice was barely audible through the wind.

Levi took a slow pace across the fields and through the towns, one by one until he had his eyes set on their destination. Bright lights led him forth to the nearest amusement park, one of Eren’s dreams that he had memorized and planned for. By the time they’d gotten there, most of the humans were filtering out and on their way home. Once they landed, everyone had gone home for the evening, even the employees. Levi set them down right in front of a ferris wheel and used a little magic to help Eren get over the cold. It was a simple little trick and subtle enough for Eren to not even notice he’d done it. What Eren would notice is the magic Levi used to turn all the lights in the amusement park back on, sending the rides into action and the happy, tinkling music played.

Eren’s eyes were sparkling and his neck craned back to view the tall rollercoasters, ferris wheel, and the string lights swooping across the alleyways and mechanical rides. “Oh shit, Levi… this is… this is…”

“You like it?” Levi had to ask, hoping he didn’t overwhelm Eren with magic and the flight.

“It’s _amazing_!” Eren burst, starting to run off toward the rides shouting with glee. “Look at all this! It’s so huge! And bright!”

Levi raced after him, uncomfortable with the thought of letting him wander off too far. Without anyone around, they were fairly safe but out of anyone, Levi knew not to let his guard down outside of his own territory.

Eren pulled him along to the rollercoasters first, unafraid of the new experience of being whipped up, down, and around by mechanical cars on a track. Eren _loved_ the coasters and made it a point to go to every single one of them in the entire theme park. Thankfully, Levi was able to carry Eren through the park piggyback style and use his vampiric speed to zip them around to each one. The fun ended when Eren’s safety belt popped off in the middle of one of the rides and Levi nearly had an aneurysm as he hurried to fasten it again and made a point of holding onto Eren’s hand during each of the rides after that.

“That’s it for the rollercoasters, unless you’d want to ride one we’ve already been on again,” Levi was happy to announce, his heart unable to take another scare.

Eren looked around them for a moment, assessing their surroundings before pointing across the park to the ferris wheel. It lit up brightly with dancing lights forming stars, hearts, and swirls. “That one,” he decided. At Eren’s word, Levi turned to let him hop onto his back for a fast run over. Instead Eren bit his lip and shook his head, “Let’s just walk instead.” He took Levi’s hand again and started leading them forward to the opposite end of the park. It was quiet at first, it seemed Eren had calmed down from his coaster-high and was thinking. Levi respected his time to think and enjoyed the scene around him. It had been ages since he’d been anywhere new, especially somewhere as obnoxious as an amusement park. Dare he say, it was actually quite thrilling- especially with Eren’s hand in his own.

“I think I get it now,” Eren said suddenly, catching Levi’s full attention.

“Get what?”

“I think you like me.”

Levi stopped walking to look at Eren, checking to make sure he heard it correctly. “You think I like you?”

Eren’s blush as visible in the twinkling lights and he shrugged, “I do. But I think I like you too. It feels… like it’s meant to be… like it’s right. I don’t know. Is that weird?”

Leave it to Eren to be direct, but also honest and true. Levi had to smile at Eren’s dramatic change in just a few short weeks, from a vengeful and angry boy to a bright and sunny man. Eren wasn’t dull and could feel that pull too, the one bringing them together.

“It’s not weird,” Levi finally replied. It wasn’t hard to admit the truth either, “I do like you.”

Eren exhaled and grinned, “Thank fuck, I seriously thought that was going to blow up in my face and it was going to be awkward. But… I couldn’t just not say anything.”

Levi gave Eren’s hand a little squeeze, wondering how a human’s words could send his dead insides fluttering as if they were alive again. “I’m glad you said something, then,” Levi leaned in to seal their special moment with a long-awaited, intentional kiss.

“I suppose this is my time to interject,” a familiar yet unwanted voice cut through, turning Levi’s smile into a distinct snarl. He spun around quickly to see a trio of pureblood vampires: Rod and Uri Reiss as well as Kenny Ackerman. All three were guised in their human forms, giving them an almost innocent appearance. Levi knew better than to fall for the pathetic façade, for the trio of modernists were not only members of the Vampiric Court but the ones pushing for total pureblood dominance of the entire country.

Rod and Uri’s entire family were made up of pureblood vampires, though a rumor was floating around that Rod had a second family hidden away somewhere. Regardless, they pushed for a world led by pureblood vampires: leaders with lifetimes worth of knowledge and the ability to predict the future based on the past. They felt vampires were the dominating species and placed on the planet in order to lead humans to greatness with an iron fist. Under their righteous goals sat their greed. The Reiss family owned the highest number of Omegas per pureblood out of all the known families. They kept most of them sedated, left in a dreamless sleep and connected to medical devices to keep them as a living blood-bag. Others were used in much less savory practices that made Levi’s heart die a little.

Kenny Ackerman, Levi knew well. His dear uncle, one of the few purebloods left from his village, followed the Reiss family on their way to total domination with a smile on his face. At first, Kenny was furious with them. He darted off to kill them all in a fit of rage with the intentions of, in his words, nipping the problem in the bud. Instead, he became infatuated with their vision and the potential of chaos. He let their organization swallow him whole, and Levi never heard from him again after that.

“So, this is your new snack, hm? Everyone’s pretty shocked you finally cracked and bought yourself some dinner. He looks tasty,” Kenny commented, setting a hand on his hip with a smirk. It sent Levi snarling again and gripping onto Eren’s hand to yank him back.

“We’re aware you haven’t marked Eren yet and I’m afraid we can’t take any chances at losing another Omega,” Uri announced with a frown.

“I won’t kill him,” Levi bit out, partially to put Eren at ease and partially in defending his own honor. It wasn’t like he had to prove himself to the three idiots, but he did want to prove himself to Eren.

“Someone else might, though, and we wouldn’t want that… would we?” Kenny’s voice dripped with threat.

“It’d be a shame to lose another pureblood tonight, wouldn’t it? Or three perhaps?” Levi replied with equal fervor. “Though I’m not sure if _shame_ would be the right word. Perhaps I got it confused with _blessing._ ”

Kenny snorted with humor while the other two glared at him sourly. “Now, now, there’s no need for your sharp tongue. Just bite the boy so we can get out of here, or we’ll be taking much more severe and unpleasant actions.”

“I’m not putting him through that here or now,” Levi firmly stated. “Forget about your little warning speech and go on home. It’s not happening today.”

Kenny dramatically shrugged and laughed, “Well, I guess you aren’t giving us much of a choice.”

Levi didn’t like the sound of it or the fact that there were three of them against one of him. In his pure demon form, he wasn’t weak or useless though and the fight wasn’t completely hopeless. He didn’t doubt his skill and knew one thing was for certain: he’d keep Eren safe, no matter what.

In a quick, inhuman speed of movement Rod and Uri strode forward for both of them to each grab a hold of Levi’s arms. Levi was careful not to overreact or use thoughtless motion, rather taking a moment to collect his thoughts and find his bearing so he could focus his strength in his arms and toss both of them up into the air with such a force that flung them off of his limbs and sent them up toward the night sky. In the meantime, Kenny went straight for Eren but Levi was able to get there first, hurdling himself into his own uncle and sending them both into a mess of punches, kicks, and ruthless biting.

“Just _get the fuck out of here_ ,” Levi hissed as he slashed his claws toward Kenny’s face, missing his flesh by millimeters. It made him rethink filing his nails into sharp points again for better weapons. He threw his head into Kenny, his tough horns meeting Kenny’s forehead with a satisfying _crack._

“Not until that Omega is _claimed_ ,” Kenny rasped right back, turning his head to snap at Levi’s wrist.

Levi yanked himself away from Kenny in time to see Uri and Rod falling back to the earth as they spun in the air like cats to land on their feet. In an effort to keep the purebloods as far from Eren as possible, he left Kenny in favor of backing the other two away again.

After years of aging and tiring, Kenny still had his speed. “Yee-haw!” he yelped with a maniacal cackle, jumping onto Levi’s back like some kind of elderly monkey. He pulled at Levi’s wings, a low-blow in Levi’s opinion,

“Fucking hell,” Levi muttered, trying to ignore the burning rip of flesh that connected his wings to his back. He reached behind him to grab Kenny by his shirt to tear him off of his back and throwing him into the ground in front of him- sending him crashing into Uri Reiss like a bowling ball. Levi’s eyes darted around to figure out what the hell happened to Rod, only to find him with taking a fistful of Eren’s hair and kicking the human from behind his kneecaps, forcing Eren to kneel.

Levi took one step forward to close the gap between himself and the duo, to get to Eren before Rod could do anything idiotic. At the motion, Rod yanked on Eren’s hair upward to expose the human’s neck. “Ah, ah, don’t move a muscle, Levi. If you do, I might get nervous and make this hurt much worse than it has to,” he warned with a teasing lilt to his tone. He licked his thumb and placed it on Eren’s right collarbone, placing some kind of curse on Eren that caused the human to growl and curse out in pain. His body convulsed against Rod’s grip and Levi was frozen in place.

He contemplated moving, wondering if he could somehow stop the curse without forcing Eren to suffer too badly. He was so fucking tempted to flap forward with his one functional wing so he could somehow sweep Eren off his feet and fly him far, far away. Mostly, though, he felt guilty for not being able to protect him and wanted to stab himself with a silver fork for failing.

The curse, thank the Goddess, ended within a few long seconds. Eren slumped to the ground and Rod released him from his grip. At that moment, Levi felt the freedom to run to Eren and collect him in his arms. He held him bridal style, forcing Eren’s face into his shoulder and away from the pureblood trio. Eren’s tears were soaking through his shirt and Levi’s heart dropped to the pit of his stomach with shame.

“What did you to do him?” Levi spoke lowly and inhumanly, a voice he’d only let loose before someone’s life ended by his own hand.

“A simple curse, nothing you’re unfamiliar with. He’s got twenty-four hours before death. He’ll be fine once you mark him, though,” Rod shrugged. “Makes the decision a lot easier, now doesn’t it?”

“We’ve accomplished our goal,” Uri sighed. “Let’s go.”

“Catch you later, shorty,” Kenny huffed with a triumphant grin.

Just like that, the three of them were gone in a puff of black smoke.

Levi fell to his ass with Eren in his arms, clutching onto him as tightly as possible but struggling for the words to say.

_I’m sorry I fucked up. I’m so fucking sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen. Those bastards will pay for this. I understand if you hate me, you can hate me forever if you want. Stab me a million times with that fucking fork, I don’t care. I deserve it._

He was expecting the worst from Eren, a tirade that Levi most definitely deserved. Instead, Eren looked up at him with watery eyes and took a few deep breaths to stop himself from crying anymore. “You’re bleeding,” he rubbed his thumb over Levi’s cheek, tracing a gash that Kenny’s nails left behind.

“You’re cursed,” Levi returned with an equally casual yet surprised tone, tracing his own thumb over the dark mark left by Rod. It took the form of an elaborate hourglass and Levi watched as little dark speckles fell from the top end and filtered down to the bottom, showing off just how much time Eren had left as a human before he either the curse killed him or Levi stole his life away. Levi had always imagined them having more time. More time to adjust, to bond, and to allow Eren the beauty of humanity for just a little bit longer. As the little speckles of sand dripped down to the bottom of the hourglass, Levi’s hope for ‘just a little longer’ died.

As depressed as he wanted to feel, it was pretty fucking hard with Eren looking up at him with those eyes. Levi changed his mind- his hope hadn’t died out just yet, he’d just forgotten where to look for it. When he looked into those bright eyes, it was hard not to feel just a little more hopeful, no matter what outcome they faced. At least they’d face it together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your support <3 I do hope you enjoyed this chapter! 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	12. Chapter 12

“A marking isn’t as simple as me biting into your neck,” Levi began to explain once they were safe at Levi’s estate again. The changelings were nowhere in sight, probably sensing Levi’s fury and opting to stay away for a while. The morning was nearly breaking through the sky and most of them were probably sleeping anyway. Levi had to admit, the oncoming daylight had him feeling a little drowsy but his nerves were still vibrating violently with emotion. He couldn’t let it out in front of Eren and would keep himself from completely frightening his human. He could, however, try to break it down rationally first. “For two mature beings, it’s an entire ritual in our new culture, as well as our old culture.”

“What do you mean by that?” Eren yawned, obviously exhausted but still interested. He tossed a fleece blanket over his shoulders and rested his head in Levi’s lap while the two of them huddled up in the living room together.

“I was planning on using older methods of winning your heart and the rest of your humanity,” Levi sighed. “It’s much less barbaric in my opinion and more fitting for someone you rather favor. However, the Council requires certain… assurances that you are very much immortal and claimed. I’ve got an idea they take some kind of entertainment in it under the guise of legal certainty. Bunch of fucking perverts.”

Eren cocked his head in question, waiting for a more graphic depiction of a real marking ritual.

Levi took in a deep breath, not because he needed the air but he needed the moment to gather his thoughts and prepare himself for an awkward conversation. “Traditionally, a pureblood vampire would court his chosen human first before the bedding and biting to fuse them into one.” He linked his fingers together, talking with his hands so he wouldn’t have to look Eren in the eye. “Courting is sort of like dating, but it comes with specific steps that we all feel we need to do. It’s almost instinctual, like mating dances that tropical birds do or how Adelie penguins present their prospective lover with rocks.”

“You know a lot about birds,” Eren muttered, getting distracted.

It made Levi chuckle a little and shake his head, “I’ve been around a long time and may have ended up reading a few too many books about the feathered fuckers. Anyway, humans do the same thing with their dating and marriage ceremonies and vampires do too, in their own way.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Eren looked up at Levi with his eyes swimming with joyful curiosity, obviously humored and intrigued with the topic. It made Levi hate the next few sentences that would have to come out of his mouth. “I mean, I think our first date went pretty well despite the fighting and me getting cursed and possibly killed.”

“Now, the Council must be present for the bedding and biting so they can be certain another human with Type O blood is saved from the hands of time. It’s usually just a quick process.”

Eren was quiet for a moment, the happiness in his expression gone. Levi guessed the chat of dating got him excited and the one sentence that whisked it away caused him to fall into a shocked disappointment. “So… no _courting_? We just have to show up… and do _it_? _We have to fuck in front of people today or else I die_? And they do this with everyone? Even the kids? I saw a bunch of them when they captured me, and… I didn’t think they’d…” Eren was wheezing with disgust.

Levi was quick to clear up at least one of his fears. “Markings don’t work on mature humans the way they do on children. For children, it’s as easy as nipping into the skin and all of a sudden, they’re perfectly preserved Omegas. For adults, it… doesn’t end well. Omegas end up in a very distressing heat as a defensive mechanism to attract an eligible mate. I guess we haven’t talked about heats or ruts, but…”

Eren cut him off. “And that’s why you said you won’t bite me? Because you’d have to have sex with me first?”

Levi scratched the back of his neck guiltily, “I didn’t expect things to go like this. I wanted to give you whatever time I could before it had to happen. You’re still young and innocent, I couldn’t just take that away without your fully-informed consent.”

“And when did you plan on telling me all this?” he sat up from Levi’s lap and crossed his arms, closing himself off.

“When you were ready.”

“And how the hell are you supposed to know when I’m ready?”

“Well, based on your reactions, you clearly aren’t ready now.”

Eren huffed in annoyance and threw his hands up in the air, “Great. Fucking great. So now we have about twenty hours to make our way to some Vampire-Council place and fuck in front of a bunch of old-ass vampires while you bite me and make me to suffer the embarrassment for all eternity!”

“Yeah, it’s not exactly the best situation,” Levi sighed, knowing he had to be thankful Eren was taking it better than expected. He eyed the dark, hourglass marking on Eren’s collar and wished his glare would force it to go away. Eren’s low-scooped shirt put it on full, graphic display as if to mock Levi’s inability to protect his own human.

Eren’s eyes seemed to soften after a few quiet minutes and he looked behind Levi at his wings. The tear had fully healed after an hour and it finally ceased giving off hot steam. The evidence of any sort of fight had faded from Levi’s body and he looked brand new once more. With all of the chaos around them, he’d forgotten to change his form and hide his demonic physique from the world once more. Eren’s wandering hand made it up to the horns atop Levi’s head, his index finger tracing out the tightly curled, rugged bone. Levi shivered at the touch but allowed Eren to explore further. The motions intrigued Levi and made him wonder if Eren knew anything about courting at all. One of the first few steps was for the Omega to inspect their prospective Alpha in order to judge their strength, attractiveness, fertility, and ability to protect them both. After all, vampires were far more beast than human and tended to take things in a simpler, primal way.

The human took one of Levi’s hands to inspect the darkened claws before dropping it with little interest and paying more attention to Levi’s back. Levi truly regret not putting more of an effort in his true form then, taking note to sharpen his claws and the end of his tail as soon as possible. At Eren’s touch, his wings naturally lengthened and unfurled to show off their greatest size. They forced Levi to stand so they could fully extend. Eren’s fingertips grazed the black skeleton of bones that emerged from between his shoulder blades and stretched out to form the wings. The thin membrane of skin that connected it all together was also as black as the bones and soft to the touch. Eren seemed reluctant to feel the almost fuzzy texture at first but took to petting them after he realized how surprisingly soft they were.

Finally, Eren worked his way downward to Levi’s tail. One of the few things that escaped Levi’s neglect was the silky fur of his tail that matched the color and texture of his hair. Eren took it gently from the base at Levi’s tailbone and let it slip through his grip as Levi pulled it away. When Eren tried to grab for it again, Levi whipped it away with a little chuckle, teasing him. Eren simply rolled his eyes in annoyance and took hold of it again, this time with a little more effort to keep Levi from teasing him again. He paid special attention to the tip where an arrow of black bone served as a useful weapon in tricky situations. Levi shuddered at all of Eren’s touching, wondering if Eren realized just what it was doing to the vampire. Eren was showing interest in one of the most primal ways to Levi’s kind and it seemed as though he approved.

“You know, it’s really not that bad,” Eren finally decided. “Your… new look, I mean. Would I look like that too? You know, after I stopped being a human?”

Levi let himself relax and sit back down again, letting his wings curl back snugly against his back. “No, you’ll look the same. You’ll have an extension of my powers. We’ll be bond together in a brand-new way. It’s sort of hard to explain to someone who doesn’t know a lot about vampires.”

“So, I don’t get any cool wings or anything like that?” Eren started to sulk. “I really got the shitty end of the deal, didn’t I?”

“You don’t need the curse of wings or talons or horns. The idea is that you get to stay as close to human as possible while I keep you safe with these…” Levi curled his tail around Eren’s wrist playfully, using the boney end to prod at Eren’s cheek.

“Can you keep me safe from the embarrassment of losing my virginity in front of a bunch of old monsters?” he still sulked, unable to drop the subject. “Can’t you just mark me now? At home? And then send them a photo of the mark and call it good?” he pleaded.

“That doesn’t assure them we’ve consummated the bond and if I marked you without their certainty, they’d just use their enforcements to track us down and prove it to them again. If there’s one thing to fear more than a vampire, it’s their human’s heat.”

“Okay, what is this heat you keep mentioning?”

“Simply? After getting bitten and sharing a vampire’s power with their chosen human, their body goes into a bit of a frenzy while they slowly transform. In that moment of time, they use whatever they can to keep that vampire close to them in order to retain the protection of their mate during the change. In most cases, that’d be sex. An Omega’s scent is irresistible to any pureblood and assures their presence during the change. Plus, the sex can help ease the pain of a marking, strengthen a bond, and make the process a bit more pleasurable.”

“What’s so dangerous about it, then?”

“The hormones play with minds. If unattended, it sends the Omega into an uncontrollable rage. The only documented cases where this happened led to the death of several purebloods and the Omegas ended up dying too from the inability to control their new powers. The last thing the Council wants is to lose purebloods and anyone with Type O blood. They’ll do anything to make sure our species lives on, obviously,” he nodded toward Eren’s curse mark and sighed, rubbing the side of his face in exhaustion. It was all too much to process, even for someone who had lived many lifetimes and contained immeasurable knowledge and strength. When it came to Eren, he felt as though he were brand new again and his life with Eren was the only one that really mattered.

“They must really think you’ll mark me then, hm?” Eren poked at the marking as if he could rub it away with his fingertip.

“Unfortunately, Kenny knows me quite well. Well enough to know I wouldn’t let you die and that I wouldn’t have marked you unless it were dire.”

“What’s he to you?”

“An uncle, sort of. We were from the same village and he was related to my mom, but we didn’t cross paths often. Those who were cursed to become vampires had enough darkness in their soul to deserve it and, hell, did he deserve it. Kenny isn’t a nice guy.”

“But you are,” Eren squinted at him, confused. “So why did you get turned?”

Levi hesitated, his eloquence died at the question. He hadn’t expected to share that part of his life with Eren, even though all he wanted to do was share everything he had with him (which included his, full, unedited history). It was always simple to Levi, if Eren was going to spend the rest of eternity with him, he had a right to know exactly who Levi was. “The Goddess visited our village when I believe I was in my twenties. My parents by then were both deceased and our village was crumbling. There was barely any food around and clean water was a joke. The only way to stay alive, to survive, was with no morals and a weapon. I became a thief as well as a killer, which deemed me worthy of this beastly form to the Goddess of Death.”

“And Kenny?”

“He taught me how and ditched me for a new town a year later.”

Eren was quiet for a moment and slowly shook his head, “It’s really hard to believe, y’know?”

“Why’s that?”

Eren gestured around the house, “Because you have the opportunity to do a lot of bad stuff now, but all you do is hang around here with the people you love and keep them safe. You’re not a bad guy, Levi, you were just put in a shitty situation and did what you had to do.” The complexity of Levi’s morality was so simple in Eren’s eyes. He made years of guilt and suffering as clear as day. His young mind transformed Levi’s heavy emotions and memories into a dark daydream, as if it had never existed nor mattered. The human shrugged and went on to say, “Then again, I’m not really the best person to ask about this stuff. I don’t know shit when it comes to the real world.”

“You are the best person to ask,” Levi let out in a bout of honesty. “Because you’re the only one that matters.” He realized it might have revealed his true obsession for the human, but Eren would have realized it sooner or later. The sharp spike in Eren’s scent led Levi to believe he wasn’t angry or confused, but rather something hard to distinguish. Flattered? Excited? Happy? Whatever it was, it was sweet and something Levi wanted to drown in.

Bean came striding in to break their little moment and meowed with a little sass, demanding some attention. The little furry brat hopped up onto Eren’s lap and started purring immediately, kneading his little paws into Eren’s thigh. Levi suppressed the urge to shove Bean off of Eren’s lap and sit there instead, a silly thought but a somewhat real wish of his. Eren smiled and scratched at Bean’s ears, though the smile faded as the reality struck upon them once more. “You won’t let me die, will you?”

Levi’s tail shot straight up in the air at the comment and his words wouldn’t leave his mouth fast enough, “I’d never let you die.” _Not unless you wanted to,_ Levi was going to add but didn’t. He wasn’t sure he wanted to make a promise like that.

“Good. It’s the first time I haven’t wanted to in a while,” Eren spoke as softly as falling snow.

“Eren?” Levi fully turned to view the human fully. He wasn’t sure whether to apologize, comfort, or inquire for more.

Luckily, Eren didn’t make him guess. “It sucked being in that house all alone. My mom was gone a lot. I know she just wanted to keep me safe, and because of what she did I ended up here. But… it wasn’t easy. I made life really hard for her and it would have been so much better for her if I weren’t around.”

“Don’t say that,” Levi barked out with a growing, anxious fury. It probably wasn’t the best way to start off a new rant, but he couldn’t help himself. “She loved you so fucking much,” he sighed out. “I know I didn’t know her, but I know she loved you.”

Eren smiled a little and kept petting at Bean with a slow, methodical pattern. “I know. Thank you. I think she’d be happy I ended up here.”

Levi figured their conversation was straying into uncomfortable territories, a place he wasn’t quite allowed to roam into yet. With his scent subsiding, it seemed the changelings felt comfortable enough to intrude upon them, starting with Mike.

“What happened?” Mike asked, getting straight to the point.

Levi told him the entire story from start to finish in an efficient manner, sparing a few more private details of his and Eren’s first date. Eren kept his eyes on Bean rather than participating in the story. Levi imagined he was still mortified at their upcoming day and their eventual trip to the Council’s headquarters.

“A death curse?” Mike hummed lowly. “On Eren?” He peered at Eren’s exposed collarbone and cocked his head at the hazy hourglass.

“They know you too damn well,” Farlan strolled in from around the corner and sighed, “You’re becoming too predictable, my friend. You wouldn’t have marked him at all if his life didn’t depend on it.”

“Why are you behaving so casually?” Petra followed him from around the corner and scolded him.

Bunch of fucking eavesdroppers, waiting in the shadows until it was safe to come out.

“It’s just sex,” Farlan shrugged. “And between a virgin and Levi’s hundred-year dry spell, it won’t last that long either. Get it over with, come back home, and start plotting your revenge. Seems simple to me.”

“Seems tasteless to me,” Petra muttered in reply.

“What else are you going to do? Let him die?” he crossed his arms. “I’m not trying to be callous. It’s their only option.”

“It’s not fair,” she hissed back. “And definitely not the best way to start their bond.”

“So, what do you suggest?”

She silenced and bit her lip. “Is there a way to remove it? Do we know any changelings with that power?”

“It’s a rare one to have and our chances of finding someone with it in the allotted time is one and a million,” Mike murmured, having already thought of the idea.

“A curse is something even modern medicine can’t fix,” Hange popped out of nowhere with Moblit behind them, offering their own advice. “Can I touch it?”

Suddenly, the entire house was fawning over Eren and trying to come up with solutions. Mike strategized with Farlan. Hange tended to Eren. Petra and Moblit were getting heated discussing the purebloods’ new, barbaric traditions. Eld and Gunther eventually joined the crew, getting the story from Mike and adding in their own thoughts as well.

A ringing phone struck them all into silence and Levi glared at his cellphone that was chiming and buzzing on the end table. He picked it up without even looking at the caller ID, he had no need to.

“We’ll be expecting you here at sundown,” Kenny alerted him with a smile in his voice. “We’ve got all arrangements made for your glorious marking ceremony. We’re all so happy you’ve finally found something suitable for your tastes. Was that apples I sniffed off him? I didn’t peg you for a fruity guy, Levi. You know, in all implications.” When Levi didn’t reply, Kenny chuckled a little and kept going. “I know you’re upset, but this is our world now. Adapt to it or face our consequences. This is how we stay alive. I’ve always taught you how to survive and I’m teaching you again. Don’t you trust me?”

Levi hung up, unable to answer without some sort of violent threat. The entire room was physically vibrating at his anger and he had to take a deep breath to calm himself down.

“Levi,” a tiny whisper interrupted his storm of thoughts. Hange looked between him and Eren. Somewhere in the commotion, Eren had fallen asleep and was resting his tired head on Hange’s shoulder. “I think that curse mark is hurting him,” they whispered. “Or perhaps draining his energy.”

There were thousands of death curses, all of them behaving differently. Levi scolded himself for not being more aware of the toll it took on his human.

“Maybe I should…” Hange started to get up, carefully as to not disturb Eren.

Levi didn’t want to take the chance, “No, just stay there. Please.” He held his hands out as if to still any action they may take. “I don’t want him to wake up and deal with this any longer. This is my fault.”

Hange sat back and let Eren cuddle up to them even more. Bean curled up in his lap, deciding it was time for a nap too.

“We’re going to figure this out,” Mike put a supportive hand on Levi’s shoulder.

“I really didn’t want to do this to him,” Levi ran a hand roughly through his hair. He’d forgotten his horns were still out and ended up ramming his fingers into them. His sleepy head wasn’t clear enough to think properly much less figure out a way to save his relationship with Eren.

Farlan was right: it wasn’t the worst thing that could have happened. The Council could have tortured Eren until Levi agreed to mark him. They could have stolen him away and given him to someone else that still didn’t have an Omega. They could have starved Levi into a real blood-frenzy and released him onto Eren. Still, if he could prevent it for Eren’s sake, Levi would. A darker part of his heart didn’t want to share the sight of Eren’s body with anyone else. He didn’t want others to hear him or see his face. He didn’t want their precious moment together observed and speculated. After all, at the end of the day, Eren was _his._

The ideas stopped flowing when there were none left to go around. No one came up with something that was viable or even possible. Hange stroked Eren’s hair soothingly, softly frowning as even they hadn’t any clue on how to correct the injustice.

“You should get some sleep too,” Petra set Levi back down on the couch and tossed a blanket over his legs. “I know you’re fine, but it would be good for you. The sunlight isn’t helping your state of mind. I’ll wake you up as it starts going down.”

Levi didn’t want to sleep but his body refused to move. He could only turn his head to gaze at Eren and hope that after the marking ritual, he could find a way to make it up to him.

Before he could fall asleep, though, he figured he’d call Erwin, the one who had warned him of the entire mess in the first place. The call wasn’t an opportunity to give his friend an “I-told-you-so”, but rather hoping that the blond would have some sort of idea on what to do. As always, the blond bastard did and Levi had to admit, the plan was nothing short of delicious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your support <3 I wish you all a happy day <3


	13. Chapter 13

The Ackerman entourage arrived at the Vampiric Council just as the sunlight faded from the sky and turned it into a haze of oranges, pinks, and dark blues. A black limousine pulled up to the grand chateau that had stood proudly for centuries. Magic kept its appearance clean and new, for without it the structure would have surely crumbled at the hands of time. Levi always wondered why the purebloods who lived there didn’t just build something new rather than spending their immortality in an old-as-fuck manor in the middle of nowhere. Pride, he assumed, and the fact that they could show off just how defiant their magic could be to time.

As head of the Vampiric Council, the Reiss family occupied the estate as well as Kenny Ackerman. They held onto the notion that vampires were vastly superior to humans and would outlive their existence, taking place at the top of the food chain. Humans were not allowed in the Reiss chateau or anywhere near the premises, which made Eren’s scent a unique one that could have been detected by anyone in a five-mile radius. Changelings were allowed, but treated as servants who owed their lives to their pureblood masters. Overall, Levi found the stuffy and hierarchical system that purebloods fucking ridiculous. Still, it was widely accepted by all but only a few rebellious families that Levi could count on one hand. For years, Kenny had been trying to convince Levi of the new model of thinking and Levi had always brushed him off and chose to live in a quiet solitude. It hadn’t been an issue until Levi had brought one of the few remaining Omegas home. With Eren, everything changed for better and for worse.

It was time to play the game, to adapt and make his appearances in order to blend in like a wolf among the sheep. There would be no overtaking the entire race of pureblood vampires himself, though a little reminder that Levi wouldn’t allow himself to be used like their tool would never hurt. It was just a small piece Erwin’s advice to him: bend, but never break and let them know exactly who they’re dealing with. For Eren’s sake, it was best to play calmly rather than bursting in with guns blazing.

“Go,” he spoke lowly to Mike, Farlan, Eld, and Gunther. The four changelings left the vehicle first in order to check their surroundings and introduce themselves to the Reiss’ changelings. As much as Levi hated it, the four changelings knew their role in the sights of the purebloods and acted as loyal servants.

With just a few moments alone with Eren, he ran over the same talk they’d had several times on their way to the Reiss chateau. “You know I have to act differently in there, right?” he needed a verbal confirmation.

“Yeah, yeah, I know…” Eren leaned on Levi a little heavier than before. He’d been holding onto his arm tightly for a while, most likely due to his nerves. It was common for an Omega to sense an Alpha’s stress and the sour scent of apples had Levi feeling even more tense.

“I’m not sure how this ceremony works, Erwin wouldn’t tell me the specifics. He did say, however…”

“There would be the perfect opportunity to get rid of a few purebloods and that he’d come to help at that point in time,” Eren finished, obviously annoyed. At first, he loved the idea of eliminating a few purebloods but he tired after hearing the same speech recited to him five times over the duration of their travels. And, for the fifth time, he complained, “I don’t like how vague this is.”

“I don’t either, but I trust him,” Levi sighed. “But I can promise you that I will do everything in my power to keep you safe, okay?”

“Okay,” Eren sighed and followed Levi out of the limousine. The front of the chateau looked beautiful crafted with cream colored stones and immaculately trimmed hedges. A gorgeous façade encased the real horrors inside and Levi knew better than to get optimistic about the visit. As the changelings led them into the foyer through a thick pair of double doors, the interior represented just as much beauty as the exterior. Levi didn’t mind an upscale, clean house but _damn_ the Reiss family lived in excess.

“Sir Ackerman, please come this way to start the ceremony,” a changeling escorted their group to a sitting room where, of course, the Reiss purebloods and Kenny lounged around with tumblers of blood in hand.

“Levi!” Kenny threw a hand up in a huge wave and laughed rather wildly and held up his glass of blood. “We got one of the Omegas wasted again, it’s like whisky but better. Want a sip? Their scent and taste is fairly neutral, I bet it’d fit your particular tastes. Gets you drunk faster than any alcohol we ever tried as humans.”

“No,” Levi bit out, not even wanting to think about the moral implications of their behavior not to mention the mere thought of drinking anyone’s blood besides Eren’s.

“Your loss,” Kenny shrugged and took another few gulps until the glass was empty. A changeling dressed in a suit promptly filled it back up so he could continue drinking himself stupid. “Though, it is proper to drink at a celebration like this. It’s about time you get over your choosy tongue and live a little. What about you, Eren, want something to knock you off your ass?”

“He doesn’t,” Levi answered for his human. “Can we get on with this?”

“Someone’s irritated,” Kenny muttered.

Uri Reiss, dressed in formal burgundy robes with gold hemming, clasped his hands together and smiled, “I do believe we should start the preparations.” Levi perked an eyebrow when he realized Uri seemed as if he honestly believed in the new-age traditions with his heart and soul. Kenny saw through the obvious and knew the modern government of vampires was crooked, cruel, and solely about gaining power over humans and changelings. Uri, however, seemed to find some sort of truth in it which Levi found to be rather sad. “We’ll start with getting you two properly dressed. Please, allow us to escort you to your separate chambers and assist in this first portion of the ceremony.”

“Separate?” Levi narrowed his eyes and spoke with the most distaste his tongue could carry.

“Indeed, it’s only customary,” Uri calmly replied. “I can assure no unnecessary harm will come to your Omega. There is no need for violence…”

“Yet,” Rod finished the sentence for him, glaring at the Ackerman crowd. He’d chosen to be rather quiet, holding his tongue in favor of getting lost in his drink.

Uri gave him a little frown and sighed, “Yes, well, if all goes to plan there will be no violence necessary.”

“There’s always a _little_ violence,” Kenny snorted. “It keeps things fun and rather interesting.”

“Kenny,” Uri turned his unpleasant gaze toward Levi’s uncle, wishing his two comrades would stop spoiling his religious fantasy. He pulled on a weary smile and gestured for his changelings to proceed with the ceremony.

The Reiss changelings knew better than to lay a hand on Levi but the same respect was not extended to Eren. The moment a hand was placed on Eren’s shoulder to escort him further and the human responded with a yelp of surprise, Levi raised a hand. All it took was the wave of his hand and the entire room froze with fear. The magic afoot was just a warning, an energy felt by all. A draft from nowhere blew up Uri’s robes and Rod’s coattail. Kenny’s cowboy hat blew right off his head, revealing his greasy scalp. A low rumbling shook the thick carpets under their feet, threatening a greater magical retribution if anyone made another wrong move.

Levi couldn’t help the magic freely flowing through his body, it instinctually came to him just as his true form did. All at once, he fell a little farther from the term ‘human’ and became a true beast: wings, horns, tail, and all. They all burst from him at the possible yet irrational threat to Eren, tearing apart his tailored suit and leaving it to hang in shreds on his body. His shirt and jacket were surely ruined while his pants stayed mostly intact, though his appropriate attire was the last thing on his mind. The only thing on his mind was Eren, who was shirking meekly away from him and letting out the tiniest whimper, sensing the dark magic in the room. Humans had dull senses to begin with, it intrigued Levi to see Eren responding to the invisible force. Though as intriguing as it was, Levi felt a pang of guilt flash across his burning heart. He’d frightened Eren.

“Mike, Eld, Gunther…” Levi growled out, realizing just how inhuman his voice sounded. It was as if a thousand voices of the dead were joined alongside his.

Mike just nodded and put an arm around Eren’s shoulders, leading him out of the room. Eld and Gunther followed dutifully. The moment Levi knew his three trusted allies wouldn’t leave Eren’s side, he could calm down and the aura faded. A few Reiss changelings went chasing after the four.

“My, my…” Kenny started laughing hysterically. “I didn’t know you still had that in you.”

“A rather passionate and rash response,” Rod uttered.

“No matter, at least you’re in the correct form for the ceremony now. Let’s get on with it,” Uri waved on the changelings again and they carefully approached Levi and Farlan to lead them through a series of hallways until reaching a dressing room of sorts. It was a darker room compared to the others with burgundy wallpaper and black carpeting. All the furniture was pointed rather sharply and the paintings on the walls portrayed purebloods of the past feasting on beautiful dames. In Levi’s opinion, it was a rather disturbing room and he hoped to get out of it as soon as possible. Levi watched with a pointed glare as the changelings rustled around the room. Farlan leaned up against the wall with crossed arms, staring too. Neither of them were comfortable with being thrown into a situation with so many unknowns and uncertainties, it had them both on edge.

“Please allow us to dress you properly, Sir Ackerman,” a meek changeling asked. She didn’t meet his eye line and kept her gaze pointed at the ground.

“Go ahead,” he sighed. The changelings didn’t deserve his fury, though they certainly weren’t getting his trust. They both looked uncomfortable as hell, dressed in dark suits and dresses with reserved expressions.

The girl shyly undressed him until he was completely bare and grabbed a pot of black liquid along with a paint brush, dipping in a few times before painting the liquid onto his skin with a slightly shaking hand while the male changeling started murmuring a chant. “ _A pureblood takes their claim with mighty hand and wing. Horn to kill, tail to balance, fang to thrive. Surpassing choking hands of time, they honor their Goddess with a unity bound by blood. Pureblooded subjects prosper in Her name, we pray. Rightful human flesh will exchange their blood for a lifetime of servitude as they have sinned against the will of our Goddess…”_

Levi stopped listening to the nonsense and paid attention to the cool brush strokes on his skin. Much like a curse, the lines sunk into his flesh and started to dance along with the monotone rhythm of the chant, twisting and forming into unique shapes fitting for his origins. A ram with black fur ran around his shoulders. A raven swooped up and down his arms in a hunting pattern. The fires of hell depicted in black ink burned across his stomach. Finally, the skulls of every being he’d killed as a human collected across the rest of his bare skill as they chattered and laughed amongst each other.

“ _Coated and colored in sin, we proceed to the earthly bounds,”_ the girl whispered a little prayer and moved on, placing the pot and brush down in favor of opening a drawer from the nearby bureau in search of a new artifact.

“ _A chosen human shares their keeper’s sin, bathes in it, and relishes in it,”_ Levi listened back in on the chanting. _“With knowledge of the past and preparation for the future, they bear a pureblood’s burden and accept their dependency on their keeper.”_

The girl came back with a tray of glittering objects. “ _For the earthly senses of sound, sight, scent, touch, and taste,”_ she spoke louder than the chanting changeling while grabbing for a set of golden earrings. Her fingers still shook as she punctured them through Levi’s earlobes, one by one until she’d gotten four pairs arranged on the shells of his ears. Next came two golden rings she fixed onto his eyebrows and one bigger ring for his nasal septum. She affixed several more gold bangles to his wrists and ankles, finishing her newest job with one last piercing, a golden stud, on his tongue. Each piercing stung a little, but Levi didn’t flinch the entire time, though he’d already had a few punctures already existing which made the job a bit faster.

“ _Human senses bind purebloods to this world and smite them with limits. They bear this burden for their Omega and take rightful retribution,”_ the chant drawled on.

“ _For the earthly needs of hunger, shelter, and s-sex,”_ the girl started blushing and stammering at the word, nervously glancing at the other changeling before continuing. She stepped outside the door for just a moment before bringing back a chalice filled with a familiar liquid. The apple-scented blood was unmistakably Eren’s and Levi grabbed at the cup before anyone else could take it away from him. He sniffed at it for a few times before hissing, “It’s warm. When did they take this? How? This is too much, they’re going to make him faint!”

The moment Levi went to take a step out of the room, the gold metals and black markings on his skin constrained his movements and pinned in him place. They started moving at a rapid pace over his pale flesh and with a hot and searing pain, he was trapped.

The female changeling took the cups from his hands and forced it against his lips, pouring it into his mouth and murmuring low chants while he drank Eren’s blood. Apples tinged with the bitterness of fear hit his tongue and he whined against it, yearning to be close to Eren again. It was nothing like when Eren let him drink from him while they lazed in bed in the early evenings. It wasn’t sweet and slightly spiced with cinnamon when it was offered to him with a warm determination. This was completely wrong.

Levi couldn’t help but wonder what the hell Erwin was thinking, telling him to go forward with the ritual and promising help at a crucial moment. Erwin had always been like that: saving the best details as a surprise. Levi had never felt disappointed with Erwin’s plans, even when they required the utmost trust. Was this his friend’s first failure?

The taste of Eren’s blood at the bounds around him spurred something dark in his heart, a violence he hadn’t felt in years.

* * *

Eren didn’t like the fancy house that the Reiss family lived in. He didn’t like being away from Levi and feeling so vulnerable. Most of all, he definitely didn’t like standing naked in the center of a room while changelings performed some kind of cult ritual around him. Two female changelings had painted different sorts of symbols on him in gold liquid like wings on his back, Levi’s name around his throat, and some other words written in a language he didn’t know that wrapped around his body and moved just like his curse marking did. It would have been beautiful if he weren’t so damned uncomfortable.

Next was a bunch of jewelry such as a thin, black body chain that wrapped all over him. There were a few different necklaces hanging at different lengths along with dainty bracelets and anklets in that matching black metal. He wasn’t listening to their words, he was too busy panicking and looking to Mike, Eld, and Gunther for some sort of support. The three of them kept their eyes pinned on his and occasionally gave him little nods of assurance that he was doing the right thing in remaining still.

A changeling cleared her throat and caught his attention again, repeating themselves with an almost frustrated tone. “ _Does this human offer their lifeblood to their keeper?”_

It was the first time they had asked for any kind of response from him. He looked to Mike, who only nodded again. “Y-yeah,” he muttered, squinting in confusion.

The changeling drew a dagger out of nowhere and Eren watched as the blade glinted off of the low lighting. Eren took a step back toward his friends, but a sudden icy sensation flushed over his body and kept him still. He gasped in surprise at the magic constraining him and opened his mouth again to yell for some kind of help. His voice was stifled by the frigid cold as well and he was left to watch as the changeling drew the blade across the hourglass marking on his collar. He winced as the sharp cut pierced through his skin, and held back years when a golden chalice was pressed against his skin to collect the liquid for what seemed like forever. When she’d gotten enough into the cup, she left the room and let the other one take charge of chanting some more and putting some final touches on Eren’s appearance by adding some golden eyeliner and brushing his hair into place.

“We must go,” she finally stated. When she did, the icy cold holding Eren’s body in place faded and he finally had free movement again. His hands automatically came up to the cut on his collarbone, cupping it carefully as if it would stop the pain. It didn’t, unfortunately, and it didn’t seem to matter to anyone around him. Eren couldn’t help but wonder why his friends were holding back, why weren’t they doing anything?

Eren was then ushered down the hall again and into a new room. It appeared to be some kind of ballroom with marble flooring and high ceilings. Arched windows surrounded the circular room, letting in the moonlight and casting an almost magical lighting around the hall. Even the ceiling was made up of glass that allowed in the stars and pitch black of the night sky.

A rough hand latched onto Eren’s shoulder and yanked him into the center of the room. His hands were cuffed behind his back and he was forced into a crouch on the floor while a tall pillar was shoved into the floor between his linked hands and his back, effectively trapping him in place. His sudden fears of feeling embarrassed while bearing his skin to a group of strangers felt so small compared to the fear of being trapped without Levi around and a bunch of changelings who refused to even look at him.

He did the only thing that came naturally to him at the moment, calling out with a voice quieted with fear, “Levi?”

Where was Levi? Where was Erwin? Panic swallowed Eren whole as he wildly glanced around the room for some kind of savior. His friends were supposed to have protected him- _Levi_ was supposed to keep him safe. He was told to trust the vampires and he wanted to chuckle at just what trusting them got him: fear, panic, and a vulnerability he’d never felt before. The worst part was that he still yearned for Levi to take him back home, as if the events had never transpired in the first place.

A new group of people walked into the room, two pairs of changelings flanking him while carrying golden chains that linked to the vampire’s wrists and ankles. Something about Levi seemed off. His eyes that normally glittered with glinting silver were glowing eerily with something Eren had never seen before. A certain savageness filled the room and suddenly, Levi wasn’t Levi anymore. The man he’d grown so fond of was no longer man, but rather the creatures that Eren had despised the most.

“ _Praise be to the Goddess of Death as we unite predator and prey in blood! Force the human to submit! Take his blood and damn him to hell!”_ Uri Reiss was shouting from a balcony, raising his arms up to the moon that shined down upon them all.

The changelings released Levi from his chained bounds, dropping the metal to the ground and allowing Levi to start sprinting forward across the ballroom toward Eren. He was unleashed like some kind of demon out of the gates of hell, bounding toward him like an animal.

“Levi!” Eren yelled a little louder, wondering if it would have a chance at snapping Levi out of his strange, violent daze. “Levi!”

A feral growl vibrated throughout the room and that dark aura of magic surrounded them all once more. A surge of power could be felt around them all. Levi fell to all fours and scraped his claws against the marble as he surged forward with his tail held high and wings spread to their full length. His mouth hung open just slightly to reveal fangs ready to sink into waiting flesh. Eren noticed the black markings on Levi’s skin and how they all twisted and twirled around his body. Piercings and chains clacked with every thundering movement.

Eren wasn’t sure whether to struggle against his own bonds or to stay still with panic and trust Levi. He struggled a little, standing from his couch and pressing his back against the tall pole behind him. The chains linking his wrists behind his back screeched against the pole with every little movement, but the sound barely met his ears as he stared into the eyes of the beast before him.

Levi came to a halt mere inches from Eren’s trembling frame. It gave Eren the opportunity to look even deeper into Levi’s eyes, searching for some kind of sign that his friend was still in there, that the man he dared to trust still existed. If the eyes were the gateway to the soul, Eren saw nothing festering behind the glassy stare. Levi was gone and he snarled once more, inspecting Eren and sniffing at him with mindless abandon.  With sharp eyes, he glared at the cut on Eren’s collar and took one long, hot lick over the wound. A low, demonic voice fell from Levi’s lips, “Mine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading <3 Unfortunately, I am quite ill and won't be able to reply to all of your amazing comments! I'll try my best to get to them as soon as I can, but I promise you I have read them all and adore how much support you've all been giving me <3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	14. Chapter 14

Erwin found it humorous how vampires were built. Out of curiosity, he spent a few centuries of his lifetime figuring out their non-adaptive biology and how it differed from the bafflingly adaptive human bodies. He was fascinated by the fact that humans had the same capabilities as vampires, but their minds prevented them from accessing the strength and wisdom for if they tapped into those secret recesses of their abilities, they’d perish. There were thousands of stories of parents lifting things as heavy as vehicles to rescue their children or drugs that gave them the strength to rip out a bathroom sink. The power was there, residing in their feeble bodies, with no way of formally releasing itself.

Vampires were much the same, to Erwin’s amusement. Their normal, everyday strength obviously surpassed that of mere humans but there was another power resting deep within their souls. This magical power could rarely be observed and, as such, was rarely needed. There was one particular case in which this power could be fully exerted in a magnificent and bloody show. Some would assume it would be utilized to protect themselves from the release of their immortality, but that wasn’t true. The only time this special gift could be unwrapped was to protect their chosen mate.

The Goddess of Death had to have been a romantic. She gifted the most sinful of humans with immortality and magic, but limited them unless it was to protect the one they had learned to love. No other vampire could surpass a pureblood in a rut, not with silver chains or a wooden stake to the heart. The powers of a rut could stitch any head back into a severed neck or repair a broken heart. It forced any vampire into a crazed and manic instinct to protect their mate from distress and harm. It urged purebloods to mark their human, to make them immortal and stronger, and to strengthen their bond in a physical manner. Ruts were inspired by blood or pain, something all pureblood vampires were well acquainted with.

The same went for the human counterpart of the madness. In a heat, they reached new strokes of potential that could command their mate and overtake any vampire in their path. Some claimed an Omega in heat was even more frightening than their Alpha, and Erwin was urged to believe based on his and Armin’s mating experience. The shared power of a rut and a heat together could break any barrier and cure any curse. A heat, much like a rut, was born from blood or fear.

The Vampiric Counsel, in their best efforts to pair the purebloods with an Omega to keep them thriving, discovered a clever way to use these heats and ruts to their advantage. Erwin would have been impressed if he weren’t so disgusted by it. He vaguely remembered the ritual from his own time in the Reiss chateau with Armin and pieced together that knowledge with his allies to finally figure it all out. Everything the Counsel did was to keep as many purebloods alive as they could and to collect as many Type O humans as they could before they died out completely. They fought extinction with cruel methods and dirty tricks.

In a rut, an Alpha’s only goal is to protect their mate, get them somewhere safe, and strengthen their bond to soothe and show them that they were a capable mate. Typically, between a vampire and their intended human mate, the best way to keep them safe was to give them immortality by marking them. It was the most rational choice for any vampire in a situation where fighting wasn’t an option. Purebloods used this to their advantage, outnumbering the rutting Alpha and forcing them into the decision.

In every ritual, stress is put upon the Omega to spur them into a heat, which influenced their unmated Alpha into a rut. In every ritual, multiple purebloods witness the mating in order to confirm a successful marking and to prevent the Alpha from attempting to fight rather than mark. In every ritual, something beautiful was destroyed in a political and barbaric way.

Levi and Eren’s case, however, was a special one. While any other duo would be blinded by the rational and lustful nature of ruts and heats, the two had a unique likeness in hating the aristocratic purebloods demanding conformance to cruel laws and strict surveillance. Both were bred with an internal vengeance that refused to be extinguished. Erwin saw the potential for something brilliant from a mile away and explained to Levi that there would be a moment when he and Eren could set things right together. He promised a scenario where Levi could create a new world for Eren, one that his human deserved.

His closest friend had been through many horrors, all courtesy of the pureblooded vampires. Erwin knew Levi wouldn’t opt to give Eren immortality to regain safety, but rather extinguish the purebloods. Even in his maddest state, one with no thought and pure emotion, Erwin _knew_ Levi would take each and every pureblood out before taking away Eren’s humanity- the one thing Levi had been resisting the urge to do since he and Eren had met that fateful evening. Erwin knew how difficult it was to hold back the urge, even he had succumbed to the need, but Levi was strong and full of determination. They’d need twenty purebloods surrounding him if they were going to force him to back down. Levi’s powers often went unnoticed, but Erwin believed him to be the strongest vampire of them all.

A few hours after his phone call with Levi, Erwin decided it was time to join in and keep his promise to help. In his truest form, he flew to the Reiss’s household and snuck around the manor until he located Levi and Eren. He waited outside, avoiding detection with a little magic and stealth. The changelings and purebloods were far too captivated with Eren and Levi to spend any time worrying about the exterior perimeter. Erwin watched through windows as the ritual began with getting both Levi and Eren properly decorated with black ink and jewelry, chaining Eren to the floor to keep him from running, and forcing Levi to drink distressed blood and enter the room where Eren was leaking with fearful pheromones. By stressing Eren out enough, it forced Levi into a rut. Typically, the Alpha would respond by doing the only thing that could keep their human safe- marking them and gifting them with immortality. It was a seamless plan for the purebloods to keep what little of their kin they had left as well as another rare Type O human being alive.

Levi, however, was different. All Erwin had to do was wait for his perfect opportunity and all the secret powers of vampires would be diverted from Eren to the purebloods surrounding them. At that given moment, he theorized that Eren too would join in on the long-awaited fight. It would eliminate the threat and keep Eren safe- the entire point of a rut and a heat.

Erwin watched as they released Levi from the chains and how he tore through the room to get to Eren, sniffing over him like a feral wolf and growling out something while showing off his wickedly sharp teeth and battle-ready form. The first phase of the rut was to confirm his chosen mate, something Levi accomplished quickly and easily as was lured in by Eren’s frantic scent. The next step was to assure safety, something that would surely start the war. All Erwin would have to do was wait.

* * *

The fog in Levi’s mind was deafening and impossible. His thoughts were limited to simple and primal emotions.

_Eren’s here. Eren’s afraid. Eren’s hurt. Eren’s bleeding._

Levi’s eyes zoned in on the gash across his collarbone and he took another long lap over the skin, savoring the familiar taste but inwardly cringing at the fear it was tainted with. It simply wasn’t right and Levi turned to follow Eren’s gaze to the vampires around them. All of the changelings averted their gazes from him, showing off their submission to him. The purebloods, however, looked him straight in the eye with glimmering smirks and awaiting eyes. They were each issuing a challenge and he counted out the battle in his head. There were six purebloods surrounding them, which left him with two options. He could either mark Eren and gift him with immortality, securing Levi’s claim on his mate and preventing his human’s death, or he could take on six purebloods himself in an effort to fight them off. The rational choice was simple: mark Eren. Levi’s gut, however, thought otherwise and yearned for a fight. And, after centuries of life, he always trusted his gut.

A rut-inspired wave of magic washed through his body, one he’d never felt so strongly before. It ripped through him almost violently and vibrated through the air. The pure energy of the magic had the windows cracking, creating fractures in the glass that danced from the base of the windows and all the way up to the tops of the surrounding walls and even the ceilings. It was slow at first but accelerated as the cracks branched out, combined, and eventually led to every single window of the room shattering. Silent, falling fractions of glass came upon them all like a storm and Levi curled his body over Eren’s to shield him from the eventual impaction. Every shard came hurtling down through the air and finally met the ground with a tremendous shattering clash. Changelings took cover in the hall. Purebloods paid no mind, letting the shards tear their skin to shreds. Levi’s bare back took a few little slashes from some chucks of glass that fell over top of him, but his wings took most of the damage.

It was then Levi noticed a blond head of hair before him, yanking the bonds off of Eren and sending that pole holding him in place flying through the air toward Rod Reiss. The pureblood dodged the pole and looked with wide eyes toward the trio. Eren stood beside Levi with a renewed strength and a scent that reminded Levi of the beginning of a battle. Erwin Smith was gleaming with a violent glow. The blond wasted no time in hesitating, zipping toward two purebloods standing near the hallway that were supposedly guarding the exit.

Even with Eren freed, Levi’s persistent rut didn’t fade. The primal urges to protect, claim, take, and comfort still raged within him. His goal to keep Eren safe wasn’t fulfilled and wouldn’t be until the purebloods around them were surely dead so that they could be alone again once more.

Levi let out a demonic screech, one that demanded a fight from the others around him. Four purebloods approached with cautious eyes. Kenny started yelling at them, “He fucking figured out how this system works. Knew he’d be a bitch to deal with. See, Uri? He’s more interested in killing us than he is bagging the Omega.”

Uri stared with a stony expression, “His sin was never one of lust, but violence.”

Kenny snorted, “Hey, Levi, Uri is calling you a virgin! Are you lashing out because you got _stage fright_?”

“He’s lashing out because he’s not intimidated by our numbers. It’s easier for him to kill us than it is to just mark the Omega,” Rod sighed with the most annoyed tone. “I _knew_ we should have kept them under a stricter control, but Uri here needed to abide by the ceremony.”

“I don’t understand why he wouldn’t feel the need to just mark his human like all the others do,” Uri shook his head in disappointment.

“He’s lashing out because of what Fritz did to him,” Kenny muttered. “I’ve told you again and again. He ain’t got no fear left in him after what that bastard did. If Fritz couldn’t kill him, no one can.”

“Those were dark ages,” Uri softly spoke in regret.

Fritz was a name Levi would never forget and one that would always bring out the worst in him. Uri wasn’t lying, those were dark ages- the darkest of Levi’s entire lifespan. If there was one good thing he got out of it, though, it was his fearlessness toward the other purebloods and an undying hate for his own kind.

There was too much talking and not enough action, in his opinion. Levi glanced over to see Erwin handling two purebloods, having killed one already. All that was left were Kenny, Uri, and Rod for Levi to deal with.

“Stay,” he breathed lowly out to Eren who just stared at him blankly with blood still running down his bare chest. There was no use for him to run, any vampire could out-race him. Levi put himself between Eren and the purebloods with wings completely unfurled to act as a barrier, preventing them from even looking at his human.

“You want a fucking fight? Fine. We’ll knock you down a few pegs,” Kenny ripped off his ceremonial robe to reveal his usual attire underneath. He rolled up the sleeves of his white button-down shirt and dusted off his brown slacks, cracking his neck and fingers as if to fully prepare for the battle.

“ _No,”_ Uri protested, throwing an arm out to hold Kenny back. “This ritual isn’t over yet. We cannot disgrace this union with violence.”

“We were born from violence and we’ll fuck in it too. None of us will leave this world without it, and we’ll thrive from it,” Kenny growled out, giving Uri a soft push to the side before bounding forward. In his first few steps, his true form emerged. As Kenny was from the same village as Levi, their forms were very much alike. Leathery wings sprouted from his back and ripped his shirt to useless pieces hanging from his shoulders. Horns curled out from his long hair and a tail appeared from his backside with pointed tip ready to strike. He flashed his fangs toward Levi and raised his claws as he pounced forward.

It wasn’t the first time he’d fought with Kenny and Levi had memorized his style and tactics. Kenny preferred his tail as a weapon, using it like a scorpion would. Levi, on the other hand, was more likely to use his magic which was something Kenny had never gotten a good grasp on.

Levi flapped his bleeding wings, swooping himself up and off the ground a few meters so he could attack from above. In a matter of milliseconds, he was just above Kenny and dropping down to slash him across the face with his claws. Kenny took hold of one of Levi’s wings, using a monstrous strength to hurl him back toward Reiss and Uri. Levi went flying toward the other two purebloods, but didn’t stay down long. Once he’d regained his footing, he was sprinting back toward Kenny with fists glowing with radiant magic.

Kenny’s tail swept around his body and pointed toward Levi as the two combined once more. Levi landed several hits on Kenny’s jawline and slashed at his neck until he broke skin. Kenny’s tail pierced his forearm and lodged itself into the appendage to keep them bound in a close combat.

“So, what’s the deal, Levi? Ain’t bitin’ that boy? Think you’re doing him a service by keepin’ him mortal?” Kenny hissed out, twisting his tail into Levi’s wound to inflict a stinging pain.

“Not here, not now,” Levi growled back, lunging in to bite into Kenny’s neck and yanking back to rip a chunk of skin from the column.

Kenny sucked in a breath but didn’t stifle. “It’s all for your own good, you know. Can’t have you dying on us because you’re too damn stubborn to take a mate. You’re the oldest and strongest, but since when did you become the most _ignorant_ of us all? You’ve got _potential,_ kid. Just join us like I’ve been asking and we will have this world by the balls.”

Levi jabbed his fingers into Kenny’s cheek, breaking the skin entirely until his fingers were prodding at Kenny’s tongue. He then pulled downward until the pureblood’s jaw broke and fell unhinged. “Maybe now you’ll stop annoying me with useless chatter,” he mumbled, tail rising to Kenny’s heart. The end wasn’t as sharp at Kenny’s, but it would do with enough force.

Two hands latched onto Levi’s wings and yanked him back, Kenny’s tail was ripped from his arm and Levi was free once more and sandwiched between Rod and Kenny. Rod took hold of Levi’s tail and Kenny stumbled a few steps back with his jaw still hanging off his face. Blood collected and poured from his mouth, neck, and slashes that Levi managed to land on him.

Rod took his turn in a violent tango with Levi, tossing him to the ground by the wing. Levi looked up to the pureblood and finally saw Rod’s true form. His nose was upturned and enlarged, giving him a pig-like face. His ears became droopy like a dog’s and two horns emerged from his temples. Goat-like legs with hooves replaced his human-like legs and he used them to kick at Levi, smashing into his legs and his bleeding forearm.

From the corner of Levi’s eye, he spotted Uri Reiss making his way toward Eren with a silver dagger in hand. Levi wasn’t sure of his intentions as it was next to sin to kill a Type O human in their society. Did he mean to stress Eren out further and force Levi to change his mind, mark him and retreat? Did he aim to drag Eren to the brink of death, giving Levi no choice but to save him? Rod and Kenny were no longer Levi’s main focus. He scrambled out from under Rod’s hooves and flew back toward Eren.

Levi paused in mid-air when he saw a flash of something new in Eren. His human was grinning maniacally with eyes that seemed to glow with a fiery light.  Without any hesitation, he ran into Uri and grabbed hold of the pureblood’s hair to toss him to the ground. Levi had never seen such strength in a human before, as they rarely overpowered a vampire. Uri wasn’t known for his ability to fight, but he still possessed a body reinforced with death’s magical strength.

“Fucking vampires. I’ll kill you all,” Eren snarled out, attacking Uri like some kind of beast. He punched at Uri’s face and throat, delivering blow after blow in a quick succession that Uri obviously didn’t expect. Even with the surprise attack, though, Eren just couldn’t get the kill-shot he wanted.

Levi fell to Eren’s side, legs crumpling beneath him in their broken and useless state. He reached out to help, but was pushed away by Eren. The human grabbed for Levi’s tail and used it like a makeshift dagger, thrusting the pointed end into Uri’s chest.

Uri wasn’t going to go down easy. Rod and Kenny weren’t going to stand around and let the duo off him either.

“Filthy human!” Rod screeched out, raising his clawed hand. He slashed at Eren, effectively cutting into the human’s arm. Eren fell back behind Levi, glaring with the anger of a storm. He clutched at Levi’s tail in his hand, finding security in the weapon.

Uri coughed a few times and weakly dragged himself away from Eren and Levi, placing a hand over his heart. When his hand started to glow with a white light, Levi realized the pureblood was healing himself of the moral wound. He didn’t know such healing powers existed and would have been impressed if the power wasn’t squandering his goal to kill the pureblood.

Kenny’s wounds had healed some but his jaw still hung loosely and his neck was still bleeding out. His scowl demanded vengeance and he joined Rod in defending Uri while he healed himself.

With so much adrenaline and rut-inspired pheromones coursing through Levi’s body, he was hardly aware of his new collection of battle wounds that were, luckily, healing faster than usual with his magical boost.

 _Magic._ The idea hit him quickly as he glanced around the room at every piece of shattered glass. There was a mix of huge to medium shards lying about, a lot of them doused in blood from being stepped on. It was almost effortless the way Levi could use his magic to make every single piece levitate into the air until they were all circling lazily above them through the air. The purebloods looked up at the looming tornado of glass and took precautions. Kenny used his wings to shield himself and Uri. Rod made a run for the hallway where Erwin was still duking it out with two other purebloods.

“Get him,” Eren spoke so lowly and darkly, it was almost scary. At his human’s command, Levi couldn’t disobey even if he wanted to. He sent a few shards of glass Rod’s way and watched as they pierced through his plump frame one by one until he fell to the ground. A final shard dropped from the ceiling like a guillotine, Rod’s head severed from his body.

 “Rod!” Uri cried out, distracted from his healing. He started crawling across the floor to get to him, perhaps in hopes to heal his brother but it was far too late. Kenny followed, keeping his wings above them both like a makeshift umbrella to stifle the blow of the glass shards should Levi decide to let them rain down on the two purebloods.

Eren stumbled up from the floor with Uri’s dagger in hand. The pureblood had to have dropped it during their battle. Without any hesitation, Eren ran straight toward the two and lunged the blade into the base of Kenny’s neck. Kenny didn’t have the opportunity to shield himself as he was more concerned with the storm of glass above them and seemingly let Eren have a go at him. The pureblood wasn’t stupid, he knew a mere human couldn’t do much damage to his form. To Kenny, Eren was just an annoying mosquito.

But Eren kept at it, hacking at Kenny’s back with the silver dagger. It was one of the few things vampires weren’t completely invulnerable to and it took its toll, but Kenny refused to let down his wings and leave his wounded friend vulnerable to Levi’s magic.

“I _will_ kill you,” Eren rasped out, “All of you.”

“You’re pathetic,” Kenny grumbled. “All of this just because we need to assure Levi’s immortality? To make sure he doesn’t die?”

“You don’t care about him,” Eren argued. “You just care about keeping your numbers and overtaking the human race. You wouldn’t give a shit about Levi if he weren’t powerful, in fact, you would have probably killed him by now. You could never care about him the way I do!”

A beady eye turned from Uri to look at Eren and Kenny laughed. “You’re right, I don’t give a flying fuck about Levi, but the other purebloods do for a reason I can’t seem to understand. He’s just as pathetic as you are. He’s a murderer. He’s only fighting against us because it’s something that you want. I’d say he’s a shallow bastard better left for dead. You know what? Let’s just off him now and we’ll send you downstairs to live in the kennels with the rest of the Omegas.”

“You _cannot_ kill him. He’s our gateway to the Goddess,” Uri hissed.

Gateway to the Goddess? Levi didn’t have a fucking clue what Uri was going on about and he wondered if his religious fantasies had finally turned him mad.

With an effortful grunt, Eren slammed the dagger into Kenny’s wing once more. Levi finally realized Eren had been working his dagger down the base of Kenny’s wing until it had finally broken off its hinge and fell to the floor. It no longer covered Uri and his other wing was barely enough to cover himself.

Eren rolled out of the way and shouted at Levi, “Now!”

Levi let the glass fall. Every little piece cut into Uri and Kenny relentlessly until some more sizable pieces struck them both in the heart. With their death, everything turned silent other than a few tinkling pieces of glass that fell to the floor beside the rest. Like all vampires, their bodies turned to ashes within minutes and the remnants of their scents hung thickly in the air.

Eren stumbled over to Levi, coated in blood but smiling. He fell beside Levi and rested his head on the vampire’s shoulder. They didn’t need words, at least not right then.

Erwin returned, eventually, after successfully taking down the other purebloods. “We’ll bring in our allies to sweep this place. There are dozens of Omegas trapped in cages in the basement. There are even more unconscious and kept alive by machines. The changelings will need to be dealt with and the rest of the Vampiric Counsel will surely hear of his soon.”

Levi didn’t care about the logistics and the dark future to come. He gathered Eren up in his arms and stood shakily on his two healed legs. His rut hadn’t passed even though he knew Eren was safe. Nothing would stop him from getting Eren back to their home where he could comfort the human and, hopefully, strengthen their bond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! This chapter felt like a bit of a mess to me, but I ended up sort of liking it near the end! I apologize if it got confusing! As always, thanks for reading!
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	15. Chapter 15

Eren’s mind felt fuzzy as a cool breeze swept against his cheek and the sound of turbulent wind roared against his ears. He curled into the warmth, nuzzling into hot, bare skin to shield himself from the cold and the noise. When he tried to think back to what had occurred in the Reiss chateau, his head began to throb against the memories and brought him right back to focusing on the little thing around him. A strange flapping sensation was rocking him softly and carefully. Two strong arms held him close to a muscled chest. Everything felt sticky and Eren squinted to see one color splattered over his hands: red. He shut his eyes again and pretended he didn’t see his blood-stained hands. The thoughts in his mind were far more important than worrying over a bit of spilled blood anyway. They demanded his attention and called out for answers.

Where was Levi? It was his first concern. He couldn’t remember how the fight ended or how he ended up in such a freezing, loud place. His own safety wasn’t a concern, for some reason his disconnect from his own whereabouts weren’t pinching at his nerves. The possibility of losing Levi, however, was downright terrifying.

“Levi?” he dared to call out. In the wind, his voice barely sounded above a mere whisper.

“I’m here, we’ll be home soon,” a murmur replied. The voice vibrated lowly against Eren and lulled him into a comforting doze. It was Levi. They were safe and they were going home.

The strange slumber crept over him like a happy paralysis. His body worked to become pliant and drowsy. With his mind at ease, he let himself cling onto the body surrounding him and trust that Levi would get them home as quickly as possible.

* * *

With Eren limp in his arms, Levi sped up his pace as he flew through the night sky. He’d done his best to use his pheromones to calm the human down as much as possible, putting him into a temporary trance until they returned to a safe place. The changelings and Erwin could patch up the mess he’d made in the Reiss chateau, Levi had much more important matters to attend to. Eren, as always, was his top priority and the gripping instinct in his gut was driving him forward through the air.

Levi’s mind was racing with only flashes of actual, real thought. His goal pushed him forward, a simple one that could dominate all other tracks of thought or reasoning. He needed to get Eren home to their bedroom chambers where no other being would dare intrude. He needed to show the human that nothing would hurt him anymore, that Levi had kept him alive and well. He needed to heal Eren’s wounds and make sure nothing so dangerous would ever happen again. He needed to stake his claim on the human before anyone else could dream to.

They had come too close to a disaster, walking right into both a trap and an opportunity. Levi was trapped in his rut, unable to escape until deeming his human safe and happy. He did, however, have the opportunity to eradicate the very ones who harmed Eren in the first place- with his human’s help, no less.

As Levi zoned in on his own estate, he appreciated the fact that Petra, Hange, and Moblit had left the exterior lights on making the entire place shine like a beacon from the sky amongst the dark, grassy plains and forests that stretched out around it. He wondered if they heard the news or merely guessed at the outcome of their battle. Either way, he landed somewhat gracefully outside the front door and spared no time in launching himself inside the house and zipping up to his bedroom chambers where he promptly used his magic to shut and lock the doors behind him.

The curtains were opened to let in the moonlight, allowing it to streak into the room to create a soft and inviting lighting. Everything smelled just as he’d left it, which helped his heart calm down from its rushed pace. Eren’s scent as well as his own mingled throughout the space, heavily concentrated around the soft blankets of their bed where the soft fibers had soaked it all up. It lured him in and he set Eren down amongst the pillows.

 _Better,_ he sighed in his head and gazed at his human. Eren had taken too much damage for Levi’s taste. The curse mark still adorned his skin, the last few bits of sand draining quickly. Levi figured they had an hour left before it consumed his human.

Eren awoke with a yawn, showing off his blunt teeth. “Levi,” the first world curled lazily off his tongue. It was drenched with happy relief, making Levi’s heart pound a little harder. When Eren fully awakened from his sleepy doze, he looked around the room with tired eyes. “Oh, we’re home?”

“We’re home,” Levi confirmed, happy with the fact himself. It was like finally being able to exhale after holding in a panicked breath for centuries.

“Are you… okay?” Eren squinted at Levi’s battered body. Levi felt no pain at all, only that churning need in his gut that had been plaguing him since seeing Eren tied up and bloody at the Reiss chateau. The rut wouldn’t cease, though it was quelled as he proved to himself that Eren was safe.

“I’m fine,” Levi assured. He ran a gentle thumb parallel to Eren’s cut against his collar. “But you’re not.”

“The… the curse!” Eren seemed to remember. “It’s… is it broken?” Levi shook his head slowly and Eren bit his lip. “How much time do I have left?”

“Not much,” Levi unhappily responded. “So… if I can… I’d like to change you. If you’d let me, I’d like to share my immortality, my power, and my life with you. If you don’t want to and wish to remain a human for your last hour, I understand.” The last sentence was difficult to get out. He wanted to leave it off, but a part of him knew that he needed to give Eren a clear choice.

“That sounds sort of romantic. Like a marriage proposal,” Eren laughed breathily, as he was running out of strength quickly. “Petra _did_ tell me you were sort of a sappy guy once. I didn’t believe her, but now…”

“Making snarky jokes with your last few breaths of life, are you?” Levi quirked an eyebrow, finding it very much like Eren to make light of the grave. Eren’s lack of a real answer started to worry him, though. He placed a finger on the cut in Eren’s collar and used a magic unfamiliar to him, one of healing. There were only a few occasions he’d ever used the power and he couldn’t do anything complex or miraculous with it. He closed the cut, creating a white, scarred seam along the eleven-centimeter slash. Levi realized he should have spent more time studying healing magic as that scar would remain on Eren’s perfect skin forever.

“I might as well, I know you wouldn’t let me die,” Eren offered up a small smile.

“What makes you so sure?”

“I don’t know a lot about you, but I do know you would never let me die,” Eren spoke rather confidently, voice still breathy with exhaustion.

“I won’t force you into immortality if you wish to live out the remainder of your life as a human,” Levi mumbled. “I know you despise vampires, it would be a nightmare to become the very thing you hate the most.”

Eren thought for a moment and shook his head a little. “Some of them aren’t so bad.”

“Some of them?”

“You. You’re not bad. Not at all.”

“Not bad, hm?”

Eren reached out and took Levi’s hand, his chilly, sticky fingers intertwining with Levi’s. It was a silent invitation, a door opening that had been locked shut for so long. Levi held on gently, Eren’s human hand was fragile as the rest of him and a slight misjudgment of Levi’s strength could have led to broken fingers. Especially with the curse wearing his human out, Eren seemed as weak and dainty as ever. It was terrifying, seeing the one he cared about most in such a vulnerable state.

They both knew it was time.

Levi took care in plucking out the piercings in Eren’s skin and removing the painted décor and blood stains from his skin with a little quick magic, leaving Eren’s flesh clean and bare of any unnecessary ornaments. In a much less ceremonial fashion, Levi cleaned himself as well of the blood, paint and piercings. The ceremonial fashions weren’t necessary, not in the least. Levi felt he’d much rather share the moment with Eren just as he was, pure and simple.

“This isn’t just a bite,” Levi started to warn. It really was like a marriage proposal.

“I know,” Eren quickly cut him off. “I know. I feel it too.”

It was then Levi realized that lustful churning in the pit of his stomach was a shared emotion. He wondered if his pheromones had Eren’s body reacting in a similar way, guiding him along with Levi’s instincts to seal their immortal contract. They’d provide everything for one another: life, love, and satisfaction. Neither would live without the other and they’d find death together when the time was right.

There was still so much they didn’t know about each other, so much left to find out. The gaps in their relationship weren’t filled with fear or uncertainty though, but rather curiosity and excitement.

Eren closed the gap between them, pulling himself up despite his weak muscles to press his lips against Levi’s. It was gentle and featherlike, but it made Levi’s entire body shiver just the same as any other sort of kiss from Eren would. He pulled Eren into his lap to help support him, holding him close and continuing to flutter light kisses over his lips and cheeks. Eren melted into him, following his lead and wrapping his arms around Levi’s neck.

Their cold, naked bodies warmed each other up with flesh against flesh. It didn’t take long before both of their arousals were rising to attention. At that point, Eren’s interest in him was assured and any possible doubt evaporated.

“It’ll feel funny,” Levi whispered against Eren’s neck. “You’ll go into a heat when I bite you and won’t come out until after…”

“Okay,” Eren nodded, pressing nails into Levi’s back as if to brace himself for the pain of being bitten into in such a vulnerable place. Levi had bitten him several times before and assured to him time and time again it wouldn’t hurt, but the neck was different. Eren was showing him a lot of trust by allowing him so close without a struggle.

Teeth that had just been gleaming with violence were about to sink into his human as an act of true love. Levi waited until they hovered over the spot that felt right, one trailing a little lower than Eren’s earlobe along the tanned column of clean skin. It was the place that his natural apple-like scent was strongest. This time, it was sweet and laced with sugared spices that drew Levi in like a moth to a flame. With no time to waste, he took a deep breath and pressed his sharpened fangs into Eren’s neck, slowly and carefully. There was nothing comparable to the feeling of it and he soon understood how vampires could become addicted to drinking straight from the neck until their prey was drained dry. A heat flooded through his blood stream and he could feel Eren go compliantly limp in his arms. The rut that had been working at his insides for so long took over, hazing his vision and controlling his movements while his mind basked in the euphoria upon him. He could only wonder how Eren felt, wishing to the night sky that it was just as pleasurable for him.

* * *

Eren wasn’t sure whether to cry or laugh. He’d never had a dry orgasm before, but when Levi pressed his fangs into his neck, it reminded him of one. Eren’s breathing sped up as Levi stayed latched on tightly and securely while holding him tenderly in place. Everything Levi had done was so gentle and careful, it made Eren feel rather precious in a way he’d never felt before.

His body shuddered as every bit of cold in his body turned into a warm heat. He fell back against the pillows as Levi allowed them to sink into a new position. Eren lay against the puffy blankets while Levi loomed over him and gulped down whatever blood he could. After a few long and hot licks against the puncture wounds, Levi finally drew back and looked at Eren. Blood smeared across his lips and cheek, his eyes were dark and beast-like, and Levi had never looked so frighteningly beautiful. The monster he’d become had taken over in a way that captivated Eren and left him wanting more. Levi’s wings sprawled out behind them, creating a private cocoon for them both. Curled horns tangled against the longer locks of Levi’s soft hair. Everything about him was magical, even his tail curling up behind him.

A sudden wet heat bubbled out of his back end and Eren looked down with wide eyes, wondering what the hell was going on. Levi noticed too, nose scrunching up at the potent scent. Eren began to smell it too as it filled the room, a heady scent of apples that blended in with a new scent he was starting to pick up on but couldn’t define.

Levi set himself in between Eren’s legs and started leaving kisses from his belly button on downward. Eren would have been embarrassed if it weren’t for how fucking wonderful it felt when Levi brushed up against his straining cock. The vampire seemed so interested in Eren’s leaking asshole that he _sniffed_ at the damned thing like an animal before hefting Eren’s hips up for a better look. Eren nudged at Levi’s head with his foot and whined, not appreciating the scrutiny. Levi was too fascinated to care, spreading Eren’s cheeks and _lapping_ stripes up the damp crease between them. The sensation was so foreign yet so good that Eren couldn’t hold in his moan. It drove Levi on, causing him to prod the tip of his tongue right into Eren’s asshole as if to tease him.

Eren wasn’t having any of that and he delivered another rather rough nudge to Levi’s head with his leg until the vampire finally got the message. It was so fucking good yet Eren hadn’t properly _cleaned_ himself for that type of activity. He’d never had anyone’s mouth so close to that area, he wasn’t sure why it felt good or if it was normal but he was certain there was some kind of cleaning that needed to be done first.

“Here,” Levi tapped his finger against Eren’s hole. It seemed magical cleaning was one of Levi’s specialties as Eren suddenly felt a very cool flush of tingles up his rectum. With that, Levi’s tongue went right back to teasing him. “You taste so fucking good, Eren. All of you.”

The strange fluid kept creeping down and flooding out of him. It mixed in with Levi’s saliva and made up for a rather wet mess between his cheeks. Despite the oddness of it all, Eren couldn’t have been more turned on. His hand came up to stroke himself, not even minding the dry pumps too much because he needed some kind of friction so badly. His muscles ached, not with the weakness of his curse but rather a newfound need for Levi that screamed at him for more.

Instead of a snaking tongue, Levi inserted his finger straight up into Eren which made the human squeak. Another new sensation had his body buzzing with lust and he found himself pushing into Levi’s finger himself while the vampire worked into him rather slowly. Not long after, a second was joining the first and the fullness had Eren keening for something more. He had thought the stretch would hurt or feel weird, but instead it all felt so right that he couldn’t feel strange about it.

Levi mumbled something about how they were running out of time and apologized, but the real words were drowned out by the thoughts in Eren’s mind. Finally, Levi positioned the tip of his cock against Eren’s slightly loosened hole and pushed in. A satisfying squelch was the only sound in the room as Levi carefully pushed in fully. The moment he sank in to his full extent, Eren wrapped his arms around Levi’s shoulders and yanked his vampire down to bite into his neck. The instinctual reaction was so quick, Eren didn’t realize it himself. A new pair of fangs that replaced his human canine teeth sunk into Levi’s skin, the first thing they’d ever sink into. As his body had been changing, he didn’t notice as his devoted attention was solely on Levi. When he pulled away, he watched as blood emerged from the wounds he left on Levi’s neck. It flowed down at first, but magically started to pull off Levi’s skin and float through the air. Red ribbons of blood flowed from Levi’s markings and into Eren’s, connecting them together in immortality. Lifeblood into lifeblood, Levi was sharing his power with Eren.

As they connected in two vital ways, neither of them moved. It wasn’t necessary. The slightest jostle to their position made both of them shudder in an indescribable pleasure that Eren wasn’t sure he could handle. Neither wanted to break the floating fluid of scarlet flowing in through both of their wounds that tied them together. It seemed important not to disturb it, so instead of breaking into the furious and pounding lovemaking he’d previously craved he was more than happy allowing Levi to hold in closely and enjoy the proximity.

Every time he breathed, shudders and shivers passed through him and a part deep inside of him finally felt whole. It seemed to be Levi’s place in his life, filling in the missing pieces he’d always secretly yearned for. After years of hiding and striving to get by, his life was suddenly flourishing with experience and, well, _life_. It was no longer survival. It was a fight for precious life and one that Eren refused to lose.

When the ribbons between them became thin and started to dissipate, Levi started to move. He thrust up a little farther into Eren before pulling back, testing out the feeling and slowly starting off in a rhythm of push and pull. Eren sucked in a breath and threw his head back when Levi prodded at a place inside him that sent new waves of pleasure up through him.

It was almost too much. The overstimulation made his cock feel as if it were straining with hardness and his entire lower half tingled hotly. His sweat drenched the blankets under him and he could feel Levi’s dripping onto him too.

Eren’s hand was back to pumping at his shaft, but was quickly beaten away by Levi’s so the vampire could jack him off instead. It only took a few pumps before Eren was crying out and arching his spine. “Levi, Levi, Levi,” he breathed sharply as he felt the splatter of come across his belly and chest.

“So beautiful,” Levi mumbled, letting Eren’s cock rest as he continued his rhythm. “All mine.”

“All yours,” Eren lazily agreed, still coming down from his orgasm.

It seemed to set Levi off on a new wind as he sped up his pace for another minute. His lips came crashing into Eren’s as he staked a new claim on the human’s mouth. Their lips moved in a perfect dance together, sucking and nipping until Levi’s pace slowed down to the point of stopping and a new fullness overtook Eren’s lower half. He looked down at their conjoined bodies to see Levi’s cock expanding. It didn’t hurt too badly but he did look back to the vampire in wonder.

Levi’s tail curled around him so he could stroke at Eren’s cheek with the cool fur, wiping away the sweat and some tears Eren didn’t realize he had left on his face. He nuzzled into it, liking the softness of the fur. Levi murmured, “It’s a knot. It’ll keep us together for a while longer so I can’t leave you. I wouldn’t leave you anyway, though. Not in a million years.”

With the curse of immortality, it wasn’t a far-off promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your support <3 I hope you enjoyed this one!
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	16. Chapter 16

Levi and Eren sat around the kitchen, the vampire watching over Eren like a hawk as the Omega ate breakfast. Whenever Eren made a move to put down his spoon, Levi urged him to eat some more. “Your body needs more food to adjust,” he claimed, waiting patiently and staring until Eren had finished his entire bowl of scrambled eggs and two pieces of toast. The vampire had been especially overbearing since the previous night, urging him to stay in bed a little longer and carrying him down to the kitchen. Levi didn’t let Eren do a thing for himself and seemed extra cautious and attuned to every little movement Eren made. He looked like he was about to murder the speck of dust that dared to make Eren sneeze. If Levi had kept his monstrous form, he’d actually look terrifying. Luckily, his human form made for a less scary Levi.

When Eren had finished eating, Levi picked him up again and carried them to the main living area where he sat down on the couch and adjusted Eren in his arms until Eren’s lips were against Levi’s neck. “Bite down and drink up, little fledgling,” Levi instructed, urging Eren to take the bite. It was almost like a mother coaxing her newborn to suck on her nipple. He held the back of Eren’s head so he had no choice to back out.

“But Levi…” Eren whined with his lips crushing into Levi’s neck. Sure, he’d let Levi change him into some kind of human-vampire hybrid mix that he still didn’t completely understand but that didn’t mean he was completely ready to bare his fangs and _bite_ Levi. He’d done it the previous night in the heat of the moment, but this time he didn’t have that passionate daze that enabled him to do something so foreign.

“Come on, Eren, you’ve got to learn at some point. If you don’t get enough at this stage, you might get sick.”

“I don’t want to _hurt_ you,” Eren complained again. “And drinking blood…” he grumbled with uncertainty. He wasn’t sure he could do it without the influence of his heat.

And the heat, it was something he hadn’t thought about all morning. Well, that was a lie. He couldn’t _stop_ thinking about it and all the questions it spurred on in his mind.

After doing something like _that_ , what did that make him and Levi? Were they lovers? Boyfriends? How was he supposed to bring it up or even ask? Eren knew for a fact that he was attracted to Levi as more than just a friend, much more. How was he supposed to say that, though? And how was he supposed to ask when they could have sex again? It was like Levi ripped the sexual floodgates down and Eren was drowning with a need for it again… and again…and again…

“Here…” Levi sighed, biting at his own wrist until he created a sizeable set of puncture wounds. His voice shook Eren from his thoughts and he registered that Levi was offering him his bloody wrist. “Drink fast. If you would have bitten me, it’d stay open longer for you but this will have to do.” He pushed his wrist toward Eren’s mouth, giving him no choice but to start sucking. To Eren’s surprise, it didn’t taste of rotten copper at all. The taste was surprisingly like a warm, cinnamon bun he’d get every once in a blue moon. Spice and sweetness combined in a flavorful harmony that made him want to keep sucking at Levi’s wrist, only to realize that the wound had healed and he was just suckling on skin.

Levi was smirking down at him with a faint blush on his cheeks. “If you want more, you’ll have to bite me properly.” There was something almost flirtatious about his voice, or perhaps it was something else. Eren couldn’t tell with his heart beating so hard that he could hear it.

Eren wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and watched as scarlet smeared across his knuckles. In an effort to not waste it, he licked his hand clean and averted his gaze in an effort to hide his flushed face. “I’m fine.” He wasn’t sure he could bite into Levi, not with the raging, lustful thoughts spinning past his brain.

Levi frowned a little and looked down at his own wrist. “Okay, but you’ll need more in about an hour. Better rile up the courage to bite me by then. You smell… needy, so don’t be shy if you need more.”

“More?” Eren’s eyes flicked up at that. Levi could tell he was needy, so did that mean he was telling Eren it was okay to ask for another kiss, another touch?

“More blood,” Levi specified, cocking his head to the side, unsure of Eren’s curiosity.

“Oh, okay,” Eren shrank back down, letting his chin rest on Levi’s shoulder. It was then he realized how close they were and found himself shyly flinching away. “S-sorry,” he muttered. In his anxious haste, he ended up falling off of Levi’s lap and onto the floor.

Levi cocked an eyebrow at him, obviously confused by his twitchy behavior and bent down to scoop Eren right back up, securing him back on his lap. The proximity only had Eren’s nerves burning with even more energy and his heart felt as if it would beat right out of his newly undead chest. “So, uh, where is everyone anyway?” Eren tried to get his mind off of the night they’d shared and focus on something new. The household was unusually quiet and empty, even Bean was nowhere to be seen.

“Probably avoiding us,” Levi shrugged. “They know better than to invade on our space.”

“What do you mean? They invade our space, like, every day.”

Levi paused to collect his thoughts, something he usually did when explaining something a little awkward or hard to comprehend. “A newly mated pureblood, or a newly mated Alpha as we’d say, is undoubtedly the most violent creature known to this world. After such a vulnerable time for us both, it’s easy to say that I’d go into a frenzy and rip anyone’s head off that dared look at you. Not because I don’t trust them, mind you, but because my instincts are… out of control. Everything cell in my body is telling me to protect you right now as you’re still my weak little fledgling.”

The violence zipped right over Eren’s head as he focused on the words ‘ _mated’_ and ‘ _my’._ “So, we’re mates,” he slowly spoke, confirming the fact to himself. “I’m your Omega… your…”

“You’re mine,” Levi said rather bluntly. He cocked his head to the side and chuckled, “Have you been fretting all morning about our relationship?” Eren pursed his lips with embarrassment as that was _exactly_ what he’d been fretting over all morning. Levi read the expression clearly and chuckled again. “I fully intend to steal your heart away, Eren. Even if you don’t want to be mine right now, I’ll spend our immortality charming your ass off until you fall for me.”

It was the statement Eren was waiting for, clarity on where he stood with Levi. While he imagined the day that he became stuck with a vampire forever as the worst of his life, he couldn’t say that he was disappointed in the least. In fact, his heart was fluttering like mad and he wondered if Levi could hear it beating rapidly in his chest.

By the way he was smiling, he could. “Unless I’ve already stolen it. If so, I’ll spend the rest of our eternity proving my devotions to you.”

“You’re acting oddly romantic today,” Eren finally replied, unable to address the issue straight on. He wasn’t sure he could respond to Levi with equal ardor or blunt romanticism. For one, he didn’t have the words to express how he felt. For two, he didn’t have the nerve to say such embarrassing things aloud. “I thought you were supposed to be murderous.”

“Murderous to anyone but you, obviously. My affections toward you have proven to be a bit out of control today. I blame our mating.” Levi stoked careful fingers across Eren’s cheek. “So, enjoy it while it lasts because after this wears off, you’re stuck with the grumpy vampire you’ve come to know.”

“You really like me, then?” Eren couldn’t look away from those grey eyes staring right back at him. He looked for some kind of lies or mockery in them, anything to dissuade his growing trust in the vampire. As much as Eren struggled to admit it sometimes, he really liked Levi- probably more than ‘liked’ after their night together. It was something beyond affection that Eren could only liken to a link between their souls.

Or was that how it worked with all vampires and their Omega counterparts? The thought struck Eren then and there, realizing that this might all be just a show to keep him in his place. His place on Levi’s lap became rather uncomfortable at the possibility that he was being used, the very thing he’d been fighting against since the beginning.

“Shh,” Levi shushed him, reaching up to pet at his hair in a soothing fashion. “You’re overthinking things, I can smell it.”

As Eren paid attention, he could smell it too. The air held a thick cloud of sour green apples around him. It didn’t hold the fresh crispness that a good apple would, but rather one tinged with rot. He’d never realized before that his own emotions came with a scent as well and was slow to realize the new sensations around him. With Levi’s blood coursing through his veins, he was able to live like a vampire in a sense. Apparently, that included the ability to notice the scents around them.

“Pheromones,” Levi shortly explained, “Everyone has them, but the Omegas’ are the best and most potent. Yours in particular are rather heady. Now, calm down, okay?”

“You never answered my question,” Eren submit to Levi’s request and tried to breathe deeply, but pouted as he really didn’t get a real answer from the vampire.

“You’re asking me if I really like you? Of course I do. I… feel a lot more things than just that, but I suppose that’s a simple way to put it.”

A new scent came to Eren, that sweetly spiced aroma that floated around the air to cover up his own. In it, he could sense sincerity and honesty. Apparently, Levi felt the same as he did and Eren chose to believe it.

Eren let his head nestle back into the crook of Levi’s neck and inhaled that delicious scent. It seemed much more concentrated in that spot and he almost wanted to lick it off of Levi’s skin. He wondered if it had a taste or if it was just a scent. “And it’s not just because you need my blood?” he mumbled against the vampire’s neck.

“Not one bit,” Levi kept on petting his hair and it felt so good that Eren adjusted a bit to give him a better angle to keep it up. “How could anyone not fall for you after seeing you go after a pureblood like you had? You’ve got no fear, even under the threat of death.”

“I think most people would find it stupid of me,” Eren laughed a little, remembering the boldness of the moment. He knew then and there that he’d kill the pureblood, just as he planned.

“I find it alluring,” Levi smiled. “And your openness with me has been refreshing. Not to mention you’re…”

“Bloodthirsty? Barbaric?” Eren tried to finish the sentence with a sad little laugh.

“Beautiful,” Levi amended, pulling back so he could look at Eren’s face. “Beautiful, brave, and everything in between. Now, I’m dying from the sappiness which is impressive as I cannot die. I think it’s time you drink more blood, the real way this time. You’ll have to learn eventually and I promise you won’t hurt me.”

“It’s just… _weird,_ ” Eren exclaimed. His fangs fit in his mouth easily and he didn’t even end up accidentally biting his lip too much. Everything was still new and biting into people wasn’t exactly the first thing Eren intended to get a grasp on.

“Just do it,” Levi encouraged, placing a gentle hand on the back of Eren’s head to push him right back up against that sweetly scented spot.

“Do you get off on this or something?” Eren mumbled, glaring at the spot with trepidation.

“It feels just as good for me as it does you, and you’ll get sick if you don’t get enough. If I keep cutting myself open for you and feeding you that way, you won’t ever get enough. It’s just like biting into an apple, easy.”

Eren huffed again and figured if he was going to be forced into it, he’d take things into his own hands before Levi somehow force-fed him. He gave the spot a few little kitten licks, taking in that Levi’s skin didn’t taste like cinnamon. The light salty flavor wasn’t bad and the spicy smell Eren was coming to love only became stronger with every little lap. Next came a few nibbles, scraping his newly formed fangs across Levi’s neck and testing their sharpness. That intoxicating scent was strong in Eren’s nose at that point and drove him to finally sink his teeth into waiting flesh.

The sensation was, much like Levi said, biting into an apple. That is, if the apple were euphoria. Hot blood pooled from the puncture wounds and Eren unlatched his jaw in favor of suckling on the spots. Levi shivered under him, taking hold of Eren with one arm wrapped around his waist and the other still holding onto the back of his head, keeping his lips pressed against that spot. Eren didn’t need much encouragement. He sucked on the spot, making unavoidable little moans as he swallowed the most delicious flavors. It took him right back to the special days when he’d get to enjoy a cinnamon bun fresh from the local bakery. Between the cinnamon buns and curly fries, he’d always preferred that sweetness. It surely beat the cabbage soup they usually were stuck with.

But Levi was here, willingly giving him anything he could ever want. With Levi around, he’d never go hungry. The thought alone made Eren shudder. Levi was his new lifeblood and Eren wasn’t afraid, not even a little bit.

“That’s it, a little more,” Levi encouraged, keeping Eren’s head pressed firmly to his neck, though Eren was past needing any further encouragement. He felt intoxicated with the sheer taste of Levi’s blood on his tongue and already knew he’d always crave more. He could sense his little puncture wounds healing quickly as the stream of blood that he could suck out grew thin. The wound definitely lasted longer due to Eren’s bite and he got more than just a taste. His entire body felt as if it were buzzing with life-giving energy and power. Not only that, but the closeness to Levi had certain, lower, parts of his body tingling as well.

The moment he couldn’t get any more blood, he pulled back just a few inches and started lapping up the bloody mess he left on Levi’s neck. Once that was clean, he yawned and left his head resting in the crook of Levi’s neck again.

“See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Levi relaxed against the back of the couch and smirked down at Eren. “All that fuss for nothing.”

Eren grumbled against Levi’s skin but didn’t reply much beyond that. Instead, the curiosities of reality started to poke at his exhausted mind. “So, what happens now? Are we in trouble for offing purebloods?”

“We trust Erwin to use his verbal prowess to strategize a new system for us purebloods. The rest of the board, to my knowledge, are more open-minded and will at least be disposed to listen. There are tons of Omegas that need placement into proper homes. We’ll need to flip everything upside down to turn things right again. If anyone is in trouble here, it’s me, so don’t worry too much. As an Omega, your actions will always be my consequence as I take full responsibility for you.”

Eren sighed at that last sentence, it was unfair. He and Levi commit a crime together and should both be held accountable. Then, another thought crossed his mind. The claws of jealousy started scratching at his heart when he realized something new. “So… will any of those Omegas come here, then?”

“Perhaps,” Levi shrugged. “They found so many that they may outnumber the pureblood vampires in this area. They’ll all need a new home too. They’re all unmarked as those that were marked have deceased with their originators. It means they’re at risk for non-consensual mating, which gives even more of a reason to have them kept safe with a sane pureblood.”

“Will you mark any of them?” Eren softly asked, his own hand coming up to graze over the markings Levi left on his neck.

“No,” Levi said quite firmly, which offered Eren a little relief. “While I know many purebloods open to that sort of polyamorous relationship, I’m not the type- especially when I sense my partner would rather have me all to himself. I wouldn’t be opposed to lending them a place to live, though. It’s safe to say my picky tastes wouldn’t lead to any temptation for blood other than yours.”

That blush was warming Eren’s cheeks again and he wondered if it’d be a permanent new addition to his face alongside the hourglass marking on his collarbone and the long, white scar he earned from the battle. “Partner, hm?”

“Partner, mate, boyfriend, husband, lover… Whatever you want to call it,” Levi shrugged. “It doesn’t matter much to me as long as you’re mine. You seem hung up on that idea.”

“It’s sort of hard to believe,” Eren mumbled. “I’ve never really been this close to anyone. Ever.”

“I’d say you’re doing just fine at it, so don’t fret so much,” Levi gave Eren a few pats on the head. “You look constipated when you get all worked up over such trivial things.”

The horrible humor dragged a lighthearted laugh out of Eren and he started to become more and more comfortable with their situation. It wasn’t exactly normal, though Eren had never really gotten used to anything ‘normal’ anyway. Fighting and bloodshed seemed to be more familiar to him than sitting so closely to Levi and trying not to get too _excitable_ thinking back on their night together. When he had showered that morning, the crusted evidence of it on his backside and thighs even threatened to turn him on. He’d never experienced such a unique pleasure as it was even better than when he’d touch himself late at night after his mother had gone to bed, though at least this time he didn’t feel shame about the actions but rather anticipation for the next time.

Eren went to readjust himself, climbing down from Levi’s lap and standing to stretch. The moment he took a step too far, Levi reached out and caught him by the hand. “Where are you going?” The look on his face spelled fear and the scent in the air was no longer warm and comforting, but rather tainted with terror. It made Eren realize the true instinctual pull Levi was under that demanded he keep him close. Eren felt it too, a longing of sorts that told him not to stray too far.

“Nowhere,” Eren assured, plopping right back down on the couch at a safer distance from Levi leaving a few inches between them. “Just stretching. Your blood makes me sleepy.”

Levi took a gentle hold of Eren’s shoulder and guided him to lie down with his head in Levi’s lap. It was a comfortable, pleasant position even with Levi’s crotch right in Eren’s face. He paid it no mind and snuggled up with his nose against Levi’s taut belly. “Then sleep for now, fledgling. I’ll wake you up in an hour when it’s time for more blood.”

As much as he hated being treated as a child, Eren submit to his sleepy desires and closed his eyes. Just like that, he was drifting into a happy slumber.

* * *

Levi absentmindedly pet at Eren’s hair while his Omega slept soundly. He prided himself on being an attentive mate and taking things slowly, even though his mind was racing with the dirtier things he wanted to do with his Omega. The time period for Eren’s body to adjust, though, was a delicate thing and Levi needed to put Eren’s health before his own lustful needs. Eren’s moaning in his sleep definitely didn’t help the cause, though. His sweet, alluring scent rose from his neck and nearly suffocated Levi. It made him smile, knowing that he wasn’t the only one feeling aroused. Eren’s scent revealed the Omega’s desires as well.

The changes in Eren’s body were almost mystifying. Levi hadn’t gotten to observe an Omega before as Alphas tended to be rather protective over their mates. Even a lasting stare could start a violent fight. Levi always chastised Erwin for doting over Armin too much, but now Levi could understand. Every molecule of his undead being served Eren and he’d be damned again if anyone tried to take that away from him.

Eren was starting to become highly attuned to the pheromones around him, something all purebloods and changelings experience. He seemed stronger and faster too. While he was very much like a changeling, though, Levi knew that eventually his own powers would awaken within Eren, powers unique to purebloods. Just imagining Eren utilizing his powers had his heart swelling with pride.

His cellphone chimed from the coffee table and Levi snatched it as quickly and quietly as he could without disturbing Eren. When he answered it, his voice already held the contempt he had for whomever dared to disturb their time together. “Yes?” he hissed.

“Sir,” Mike’s low, calming voice was on the other end. “We’ve been working on that special task you’ve given us and we’re at the location of Eren’s old home.”

“And?” Levi urged him on. He had sent his changelings to clean up the area and give Eren’s mother a proper grave so he could surprise his mate with something sentimental. A mating gift was customary and Levi knew Eren would appreciate that more than any tangible item.

“The remnants of her body are gone,” Mike said with a grave tone. “The ash has been cleared away and there’s nothing here but charred wood and stone.”

“Someone cleared away the ashes…?” Levi squinted at the fact. Sure, they’d disintegrate an Omega’s home to avoid the risk of a dead relative’s revival and forcing them to become dependent on their pureblood. Taking away charred corpses, however, was a different matter and a curious one at that. “There’s no sign of her? I swear I saw her when we first visited. She was covered by some walls and old furniture so she couldn’t have just blown away.”

“It has been a while since she deceased,” Mike offered. “But what’s strange to me is that everything seems to have been stripped clean. The only things left here are too heavy to move by conventional means. I’ve researched other houses and families of Type O humans and they’ve all been scorched to the ground, leaving the remains to serve as a message. This… this is different.”

Levi squinted wondering why someone would do such a thing. Who would want the ashes of a dead woman? Who wanted to erase the evidence that anyone had ever died there? “Make it an empty grave then,” Levi finally decided. “We’ll talk about her missing body later. Whatever you do… don’t tell Eren. I don’t want this to upset him until we can give him a real answer.”

“Yes, sir,” Mike affirmed, hanging up the phone.

Levi tossed his own cell aside and resumed petting Eren’s hair softly. The strands that had once been dingy and un-kept were now glossy and clean. Eren’s belly was filling out nicely and the color in his cheeks looked as healthy as ever. With Levi’s blood rushing through his veins, he’d be in tiptop shape in no time.

His neck started to burn again, alerting him that he needed Eren’s fangs buried there soon. It physically pained him if they went too long without a feeding and when Eren could finally suck down some blood if felt similar to an orgasm. He started scratching at Eren’s scalp in a massage-like fashion until his bleary-eyed mate woke again. It seemed Eren didn’t need instruction or words as he pulled himself up by Levi’s shoulders and didn’t hesitate to sink those teeth into Levi’s neck right beneath his scent gland. In his sleepy state, Eren relied fully on his instincts to guide him through the motions. The tiny little noises Eren made while sucking were, quite frankly, adorable in Levi’s opinion. He kept at it until the wounds healed themselves and he slipped back down until his head was back to resting in the vampire’s lap.

Levi mused the idea of the two of them staying like that forever, in a blissful haze of recuperation. With Eren sleeping so sweetly and the pleasant calm around them, he could have spent a few years just like that. It wasn’t long ago that he sought death, plaguing himself with a lack of blood until his demise. He was ready to go having lived a long, mostly happy life.

After Eren, he couldn’t let go. He didn’t want to leave the world that Eren occupied. He’d continue to carry the baggage of his curse and his past as long as he could carry it alongside Eren. Eventually, he’d share that baggage with him too. There were plenty of things left unsaid, about Fritz and his apparent link to the Goddess that still perplexed him. There was still much to learn about Eren too. It was a strange feeling for Levi. After years and years of simply maintaining and being alive, he felt something new. He was excited for the future, excited to go on a new journey with Eren, and looking forward to actually living for once.

Eren yawned again and looked up at Levi with glittering green eyes and a sleepy smile, reaffirming the fact that Levi was entirely, hopelessly, stupidly in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody! Thank you all so much for reading <3 I really appreciate your patience with me on this story and I thank you all for your wonderful comments!! <3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	17. Chapter 17

Days blended together effortlessly, in a good way. Eren was so tired most of the time, he dozed in between meals of both food and blood. Anytime he tried to start a new activity, he gravitated toward Levi and fell asleep in the pureblood’s close proximity. Levi even tried reading aloud to him at one point and Eren only made it a few sentences in before Levi’s blood kicked in and made him sleepy again.

Just like getting over a cold, Eren made it through the transition time as his body got used to this new state. To Eren, nothing changed too dramatically. He could smell the air in a brand-new way, picking out the scents of everyone’s blood and figuring out how to read emotions or intentions from it. His body seemed stronger and more durable, though Levi wouldn’t dare let him try anything too dangerous to test his new powers. There was new magic flowing through his veins and Eren pestered Levi with plenty of questions about it. All Levi ever told him was that he’d have the same magic abilities as Levi, and that he’d help teach Eren the basics when he was ready.

On the fourth day of his transition period, Levi allowed the rest of the changelings and humans back into the house. Apparently, his aggression was wearing off just like Eren’s exhaustion. While everyone was allowed back inside, though, Eren was trapped in their bedroom. It was a compromise that he didn’t mind too much. His nose was still sensitive to anything that wasn’t coated in Levi’s sweet spice and it tended to burn whenever sniffing anything else.

His days in their bedroom was spent exactly like the last four, though Levi seemed edgier than usual. The moment Eren got up to go to the bathroom, the pureblood hissed out, “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Unlike you, I still have to take a shit every once and a while,” Eren snorted, bounding toward the bathroom without even looking back. Earlier that week, he wouldn’t have been able to un-plaster himself from Levi’s side until his bladder or bowels demanded it. He privately exercised his own freedom, testing out the bonds of how desperately his body needed the proximity. When he thought about it, it all made sense. He felt weaker than usual and, perhaps centuries ago, an Omega like himself would have needed an Alpha like Levi to keep them safe during the vulnerable time.

Levi huffed in protest, but didn’t leave his spot on the bed. He averted his attention back toward his phone where he was furiously texting with Erwin and the changelings about the happenings of the outside world.

While Eren did his business behind a closed (and locked) door, he wondered how the vampire community was handling a collapsed government and a small army of Type O humans that needed somewhere safe to go. He honestly hoped Levi would allow them to live in their manor. There was plenty of space to welcome in more members to their little family. But, then again, a more selfish part of his heart wouldn’t want the temptation walking down their halls. He wanted to possess the manor as his own. After all, he finally had a family after years of solitude. Would he want to take the chance of someone stealing it all away from him?

He finished his toilet duties a little faster with the need to get back to Levi. Everything became frustrating from the moment he flushed, to the weird, sticky liquid that ran out of his ass now, to the fact that he couldn’t get soap to come out of the dispenser fast enough. With quick, clumsy movements he ended up tipping the soap dispenser over along with some cologne bottles and a decorative little vase. The vase shattered due to its thin, blown glass, which made Eren yelp with shock. He knew the shards couldn’t actually hurt him, but his human instincts still existed in his new, vampiric body.

The door handle was jiggling immediately. “Eren, what happened?” Levi’s sharp voice came through the heavy wooden door.

“N-nothing,” he found himself panicking as nothing seemed to go his way. He tried to sweep the broken glass into the little garbage can under the sink, but the little shards cut his hand and wrist to shit as he swept them in. The sharp pricks had him wincing and he ran them under some water to help wash away the blood.

The door handle shook violently until it broke all together. The wooden doorframe cracked under the pressure and the door itself flung open so rapidly that it fell off its hinges and toppled to the floor. Levi burst into the room and took in the situation with keen eyes. Within a second, he knew exactly what happened and made a grab for Eren’s wrist. Eren didn’t have a moment to jerk it away as the pureblood caught it between tight fingers to survey the cuts. Soon after, his tongue was lapping at the cuts and he sucked the blood from the wounds.

“Levi, _stop_! There could be glass in those!” Eren protested, though he was unable to jerk his arm away like he’d wanted to. Levi’s grip was secure and unshakeable.

“There’s not,” Levi muttered in between licks and sucks. He kept at it until the wounds closed properly, and even then, made sure to clean the streaks of blood down Eren’s quivering arm off with his tongue. After some deep, calming breaths Levi just held onto Eren as if he’d disintegrate if he didn’t. The aggression that hung heavily in the room slowly faded, leaving behind the faintest scent of worry. Eren let Levi hold him for a while as they both gradually let go of their panic. Once the moment passed, he took a huge exhale and placed Eren’s hand over his chest. Eren was surprised to feel the rapid beating of Levi’s undead heart. “It only beats when I think about it. Not much use for it anymore. But you, Eren… you spark it to life. Whether I like it or not.”

“Sorry for worrying you,” Eren sheepishly smiled. “It really was an accident. I…” He thought back to the brief anxiety he faced when thinking about other Omegas entering their house. The memory had his own heart aching all over again with fear. He had always pictured himself as a ‘more the merrier’ sort of guy, loving the opportunity to communicate with other people. He’d never imagined himself getting possessive over the few friends he’s made. Still, the feeling was there and almost impossible to ignore. It nearly choked him thinking about the possibility of someone stealing Levi away.

“Hey, hey, calm down. You smell… afraid. It’s okay, I’m here,” Levi started rambling out assurances. He didn’t seem accustomed to calming people down from a panic, but his voice was the same steady tone it usually was. “No one can hurt you here. I promise. I won’t let it happen.”

“Just… don’t leave me,” Eren got out. He couldn’t confess the root of his worries without sounding selfish or pathetic. There was no way he’d want Levi to know that he was so shallow.

“I won’t,” Levi curled an arm around his shoulders to escort him back to the safety of their bed. “I can’t. It’d kill me to lose you.”

Once they’d made it, Eren crawled right back to his space in the middle. He plunged under the covers and deeply breathed in the mingling scents. Their combined scents created the most harmonious aroma that was full of comfort and happiness, it helped quell his biting worries.

Levi coughed a few times and used his thumb and index finger to fish out a little shard of glass from under his tongue. “I guess there was a little glass in there,” he hummed as he set the little piece on the end table. “It’s all out now, I suppose.”

“Levi! Don’t eat glass!” Eren exclaimed, rolling over to pin Levi under him. His concern blossomed into laughter when he got to see the shocked look on Levi’s face. “It’s bad for you. Even _I_ know that.”

“I _think_ I’ll survive,” Levi returned with a cheeky grin. It was a small one, but very real and it made Eren’s heart flutter in his chest. “It was just one little piece.”

He then realized the place they were in as he sprawled out on top of Levi. Their legs were tangled together and hips pressed flush against each other. Eren craned back to get a good look at Levi’s face, only to find the pureblood staring at him pensively. “What?” Eren had to ask, questioning the thoughtful gaze.

“I’m wondering how long I need to wait before kissing you again.”

Eren knew Levi to be blunt, but he hadn’t expected that to leave the pureblood’s blood-smeared mouth. It seemed like the perfect segue from their chaste flirting into something more. The sexual tension between them hung (and smelled) so heavily that it was impossible to ignore anymore. Eren had been holding it in for _days_ which, to him, seemed like years. He’d thought over every single second of their first time over and over again, unable to fully appreciate and reminisce with Levi around him constantly. He was growing to hate how his pheromones would react every time he pictured Levi’s naked torso, hands gripping at his ass, teeth at his neck, and cock up his ass.

Shit. His pheromones voiced his inner thoughts, which made Levi chuckle a little. “You’re transparent. It’s another thing I can’t help but love about you.”

“I thought you weren’t going to be sappy anymore?” Eren grumbled. That _‘L’ word_ Levi kept tossing around made him want to crash their lips together messily. He’d never said it directly to Eren (though, it may have slipped out during their mating, but Eren would have unfortunately missed it). Still, it was a word he’d only used to describe his favorite foods or his mom, not another person. When Levi mentioned that he loved something about Eren, it got his blood running warmly and in a downward motion. It also brought forth a familiar, wet hotness between his cheeks.

“You seem to like it,” Levi pointed out the blush on Eren’s cheek and glanced down at Eren’s growing length between them. It only had the Omega sputtering and blushing even more, which dug a genuine smile out from Levi.

“Don’t mind it,” Eren muttered, hiding his face in Levi’s shoulder which ultimately pressed them flush together once again. He could feel his own growing erection pushing up against Levi, which didn’t help his case. It felt nice to be so close, just as brilliant as it had the past few days. Instead of on-the-couch cuddling or side-by-side sleeping, their tight embrace felt completely different as if it were alluding to something more, something anticipated.

“You can now, you know,” Eren boldly stated. Levi seemed to have refrained from giving him any attention beyond cuddling and closeness, keeping his lips to himself. The only time Eren could indulge in them was with Levi’s fangs in his neck, which was intimate in an entirely different way. The growing, craving sensation deep in Eren’s gut called out for lips on lips. Every single day after their first mating, he’d wanted it again. So, why wait? He’d bear a little more embarrassment just to open that door again. “You can do more than just kiss me…” he forced out. All the while, he bravely held eye contact to read Levi’s expression. It turned out, he didn’t need to look. A very heady scent clouded around them, intoxicating Eren with pure arousal.

Levi curled an arm around Eren’s middle to flip them around so he could trap Eren underneath him. Lips were clasping onto Eren’s at an inhuman speed, it would have shocked him if he hadn’t wanted it so fucking much. With Levi on his knees and bent over him, Eren lifted his shoulders off the bed to wrap his arms around the pureblood’s neck to stabilize himself all while deepening the kiss. It was a hungry kiss with quick movements, breaking apart just to lock lips again and again. Wet sucks and little moans from Eren filled the room along with their combined scents. A thick heat radiated from their bodies with each kiss. Eren, unexperienced with his own fangs, ended up accidentally poking into Levi’s lower lip which drew out a pretty stream of dark blood that ran down Levi’s chin.

Like some kind of ravished beast, Eren started sucking at Levi’s lip and lapping up any of the sweetness that leaked out from the puncture wound. The intoxicating flavor made his heart beat a little faster and the hardness in his sweatpants nearly unbearable. He could glance down and see Levi’s too, both of them yearning for another union. There was no more bashfulness left in Eren’s body then, only need.

He ripped off Levi’s shirt with a tiny whine that demanded efficiency and quickness. When he started to lean up to take off his own, Levi pushed him right back down and fisted the cloth in his hand. Fire burst from his palm, though the flames weren’t hot or painful whatsoever. They licked up Eren’s shirt until the entire thing was ash, and in mere seconds the ash dissipated into nothingness. Instead of asking about the little magic trick Levi had pulled on him, he grabbed the pureblood by the wrist and forced his hand toward his pants. The same fire consumed his sweatpants and underwear, leaving the Omega delightfully bare. When imagining a vampire’s endless powers, Eren didn’t realize the little tricks would come in handy in the bedroom. He was thankful for it, though, as it eliminated awkward, inefficient shuffling. He whined until Levi was unclothed as well, parting his legs a bit to display the parts of himself that needed the pureblood’s attention.

A familiar sensation crept over him, one that reminded him of the heat he’d endured. A lustful storm clouded up his head and there were a few things he’d demand of Levi before the clouds would stop fogging up his inhibitions. Luckily, it seemed Levi was under the same trance as his hands were already wandering. The pureblood sat up between Eren’s legs and firstly focused his attentions on his mate’s pulsing cock, bringing blood-stained lips down to the head. Eren’s body tensed with tingles and heat from the brief touch. He brought a hand down to tangle into his mate’s hair and pushed a little, begging for more.

“Calm down, fledgling,” Levi whispered.

“Waiting too long,” Eren breathed back, thrusting his hips up to meet Levi’s lips again. It was enough for Levi to wrap warm lips around Eren’s cock, tongue lapping up the underside so sweetly that it drew the most obscene moan from Eren. He noticed how careful Levi was with his fangs, merely licking and lapping at his length and occasionally sucking at the tip, slotting it between his fangs in the most attentive manner. Even so, it felt fucking amazing and left another bubble of liquid slip out his asshole. He’d have to remind himself to ask about it later, but the thought was gone as soon as it popped into Eren’s head because Levi’s fingers started closing in on that wet spot.

The slightest poke to his hole had Eren reeling and attempting to push himself into Levi even more. The pureblood left Eren’s cock in favor of crawling back up so their lips could lock into place again. All the while, he kept his fingers teasing the sensitive skin between Eren’s cheeks.

“Levi…” Eren whined, wanting to get on with it. He’d waited for days and his patience was running thin. The teasing left an opportunity for his embarrassment to return to him, and he’d much rather concentrate on the one thing causing this entire mess in his heart: Levi.

Something about the mix of man and beast in Levi’s eyes allured Eren in a way he’d never been captivated before. It was dangerous, more than any other creature on their planet, yet kind as well. The thick, time-tested trust that had built up between them left no room for fear when in reality, Levi could kill him at any moment in this vulnerable positon. Beyond their species and statuses lied something else, too. The things that made Eren’s heart flutter most were the stupid ones like Levi’s odd sense of humor and how much he cared for his friends. He had to wonder if it all combined into something like love.

Levi’s finger prodded into him, finally, and Eren shivered. His vague memories of their first mating didn’t compare to the real feeling. And, luckily, after just a few testing curls and thrusts with his index, Levi started to add in his middle little by little. The fluid his own body was creating aided in this loosening and Levi worked his fingers together as if they were searching for something against Eren’s walls. Eren yelped when Levi found it, a spot inside of him that sent shockwaves of pleasure up through his body.

“That good?” Levi nipped at Eren’s jaw, curling his fingers yet again to draw out another moan from his mate. Eren could only hum in response, clinging onto Levi as he was pried open with teasing fingers. When Levi leaned back to put some space between them, Eren looked up with wide, questioning eyes. He withdrew his fingers and used his freed hands to grasp Eren under the knees to pull them up to Eren’s chest, exposing him further. Then, a pillow was shoved under Eren’s ass to raise it up a little. Eren cooperated as well as he could, holding his thighs to keep himself open for his mate.

With a tight grip on his hips, Levi kneeled before Eren and positioned his cock to Eren’s entrance. Eren let Levi maneuver his hips up while he kept a bruising grip on his own thighs. He didn’t dare close his eyes, though, keeping them trained on Levi as he slowly pushed himself into Eren’s waiting entrance. They both let out a growling moan when they finally joined and Levi bottomed out. The long-awaited sensation was appreciated by both for just a few moments as they breathed in sync and waited for the Omega to get used to the girth and length of his Alpha’s cock.

“So fucking good,” Levi sighed as he finally started to slowly pull out again, just a few centimeters until pushing right back in. “You’re perfect, Eren.”

Levi’s praise encouraged yet another moan from Eren and he tried to shimmy himself into a rocking motion against his mate. Luckily, Levi got the silent message and started taking a steady, quicker pace. It wasn’t a breakneck speed or a ravenous thrusting, but rather something a little slower and sweeter than that. It was an intimate pace, one Eren wasn’t expecting. At such a speed, he could take in the fullness of Levi inside him and the adjusted himself bit by bit until Levi hit that perfect little spot that left him gasping. It all turned fucking into lovemaking, which made Eren realize all the little feelings in his head, heart, and stomach were just that. Love. He wasn’t sure how long it had been love, but he felt it then and there. The realization was impossible to just ignore or blame on the moment.

Levi’s pace sped up just a little more and his hands gripped a little harder. One unclasped from Eren’s hip to latch onto his abandoned cock instead. Eren was thankful for it and let out a curse.

It only took a few strokes until Eren was tossing his head back and coming with a strangled cry. His inexperience in the bedroom made him easy to orgasm, but he didn’t mind. It seemed Levi was just as eager. He pulled out of Eren and splattered his own come over Eren’s stomach and cock. They both froze in place to catch their breath, the sex ending sooner than both probably anticipated. It went from playful to intense so quickly, Eren found himself overwhelmed and he wondered if Levi did too. Based solely on the scent of it, they were both at the climax of lust.

Levi stepped off the bed to grab a cloth from the nightstand drawer, wiping the come off of Eren with delicate strokes and quickly tossing the soiled cloth into the hamper across the room with perfect precision. He was happy the pureblood took leadership in cleaning up because Eren didn’t want to move a muscle. His lower-half felt chilled and empty while his heart was still pounding with newfound feelings.

“Wow,” he finally breathed out, letting his legs fall to the mattress.

“Yeah, wow,” Levi agreed with a little chuckle. He fell onto the bed next to Eren, lying right next to him. Eren wasted no time in rolling onto his side so he could rest his head on Levi’s chest. The position reminded him of every single time Levi urged him to drink his blood over the past few days. This time, with skin to skin contact, it seemed much more intimate and genuine. It wasn’t just for a feeding, but rather born out of romantic affections.

Their coupling seemed to be the perfect solution to Eren’s inner clinginess and Levi’s aggression. They both melted way with ease, as if their love was the only thing needed for reassurance that neither would leave the other.

It did, however, leave Eren with some questions. “So, um, we weren’t… stuck together this time…” he sheepishly observed with his face still pressed into Levi’s skin. He couldn’t look up at the Alpha even if he tried, embarrassed by his own little question.

“That only happens during a heat and a rut.” Levi let his fingertips graze up and down Eren’s side, tickling the skin and summoning shivers from the Omega.

“And, uh, that stuff coming from me?” Eren really hoped Levi would catch on to what he was getting at. The clear, lube-like substance that practically dripped from his asshole anytime he got a little excited about Levi was still bothering him.

Luckily, Levi had a knack for reading his thoughts. “It’s an adaptation for Omegas to allure their Alphas and make mating more comfortable, pleasurable. It helps clean you out naturally, too. Females can do it naturally, males, however, need to be changed first before their bodies adapt.”

“Ah,” Eren stuffed his face even further into Levi as he waited for his blush to recede. “So, it’s not weird?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“And you felt good too?”

Levi tangled his fingers up into Eren’s hair and pulled him away to look at him eye-to-eye. “This will be the last stupid, sappy thing I say to you for a while, so listen carefully. Every moment I get to spend with you is good. Every moment we get to be together like this has been a light in my otherwise dim existence.”

The words had Eren’s heart fluttering and as much as he wanted to avert his gaze in bashfulness, he held Levi’s stare. “Me too,” he agreed wholeheartedly. Levi was his light, a pillar of strength in a world he’d originally felt worthless and terrified in. With Levi at his side, he felt as though he had a fighting chance at happiness again. The upcoming changes didn’t scare him as much as they used to, because Levi _wouldn’t_ leave him. Eren knew it as a fact. It comforted him to know it, because the tides of change were crashing onto the shore and there was no stopping them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your patience with this story! It makes me so happy to know that you're enjoying it thus far <3 I am so grateful for all of your comments, I read them all and they give me so much motivation to keep going!
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	18. Chapter 18

“Okay, now shoot the ball into the hoop,” Eld encouraged pointing up to the basketball hoop. Eren stood at a line marked off with white tape, the ‘free throw line’. “Take your time to aim and make sure not to overestimate your new powers. Levi will probably have a heart attack if we break another one of these.”

“ _It’s not the fact that we have to buy a new one, it’s the fact you’ve broken it again. Control your strength_ ,” Gunther chided in a fake-Levi voice, adding extra gruff and sternness. It made Eren giggle at the pure silliness of it and he had to re-center himself for the shot. He felt over the little bumps on the orange basketball and raised it up to prepare to throw it right into the hoop.

He tossed, just like Gunther and Eld taught him to, and threw it too high and far. With his power, it went up and over the hoop and bounced off the ballroom floor toward the back windows. It thumped against the glass and came rolling right back to Eren. Air ball. “I missed,” he observed with a little frown, racing up to pick up the ball and try again. “One more time.”

“You’ll get it! Not only have you never done this before, but you’ve got some strength to adjust to. Omega strength is one thing, but _Levi’s_ Omega’s strength is probably unparalleled,” Gunther gave Eren a firm pat on the back.

“This will be great practice for figuring out your limits and pinpointing your precision,” Eld added, tossing in another basketball from across the room with such perfection. The ball didn’t even hit the rim or the back board, it just swished right through the net. “We can even play baseball too. I bet we could get the whole house to participate. And with some new arrivals, we might have enough to make two teams!”

“New arrivals?” Eren asked as he shot the ball. It missed again, another air ball that flew way over the hoop. Eld’s comment distracted him enough to the point where playing basketball was shoved to the back of his mind.

“Yeah, there are a bunch of Omegas that need a place to stay now. They’re unmarked, so they’re still technically human. I think those Reiss guys were using needles to extract their blood. Barbarians,” Eld grumbled the last bit. “I don’t get why they feel the need to treat humans with Type O blood like animals. Hopefully that’ll change soon with Erwin in charge. Once we get the Reiss’ Omegas adjusted to life outside that prison, we can figure out what to do with the rest of the crooked purebloods out there.”

“Probably kill ‘em,” Gunther shrugged. “That’s what Levi would want.”

“Is that what Erwin wants, though?”

“Doesn’t matter. Levi’s stronger.”

“But Erwin cares more. And, Levi would do anything that Erwin says.”

“Eh, that’s true.”

Eren retrieved another basketball and started to practice _dribbling_ where he just bounced the ball with his hand as he walked closer to Gunther and Eld. The two were close friends and Levi joked once that they were probably more than _friends_ , but no one was really certain. The two changelings were never apart and were both assigned to _babysit_ (as Levi crudely put it) Eren while he helped Petra get new groceries. Eren hadn’t heard them talk so much around Levi and the others and felt more at ease between the two with every passing conversation.

“So, did Levi change you both into changelings?” he dared to ask, curious about their history.

“Yeah, he did. He found us both during World War Two when were both soldiers. Didn’t know each other from Adam, but seemed to be the only ones able to keep their head when bullets started flying. Got to know each other that way, as the strong ones of the bunch. Got to know each other better when we were both taken in as prisoners of war and placed in the same camp.”

“Seriously?” Eren stopped dribbling the basketball and let it roll across the floor. He’d read about World War Two from the books his mom didn’t want him to read, but he did when she wasn’t around. It colored a bloody battle with so many moving parts that Eren couldn’t retain all the information before moving on to a new topic. He remembered the Holocaust, though, and the Allies and Axis. There was genocide, disease, bombings, violence, and hunger spread throughout the world. It was terrifying and difficult to understand how so much cruelty existed in the world, even without vampires ruling over humans so clandestinely. Apparently, humans were just as capable of creating despair as vampires.

“Yeah, it was… Hell,” Eld lowly commented, his eyes dropping to the floor. Eren figured it was a social cue to change subjects, but Gunther was already telling their story.

“I guess Levi was feeding off those Nazi bastards at the time and we helped him get a good layout of the camp so he could sneak around and off them one by one. He could only feed from the ones with an O blood type, but he’d kill the rest for our sake. It was a slow operation, he didn’t want to draw any attention to the fact that he was a vampire. At the time, they were mythical creatures talked about in story books,” Gunter explained, seemingly less discomforted than Eld.

“Why’d you talk to him, then?” Eren had to ask, even though he could sense the conversation growing grim. His curiosity outweighed his wisdom at that point.

“Because to us, he was more like an angel than a monster,” Eld answered with the sincerest tone. The way he brightened up a little at the mention of Levi made Eren’s heart warm. He _saved_ two men from Hell and lent his strength so they could escape. He took two hopeless souls and used his magic to make them smile again. “But eventually, we got caught.”

“Caught?” Eren squinted.

“A few soldiers saw us conspiring with him after curfew. They didn’t recognize him, but they knew who Eld and I were. We were taken into captivity and tortured for information. They kept screaming at us in a language we couldn’t understand. They used their knives to spill our blood, hoping it’d entice the _Engelesser_.”

“Angel-eater,” Eld translated, expression dropping back to darkness.

The volume of Gunther’s voice raised little by little, with each gruesome detail. He continued to recount, “They took our toes, one by one and set them into our laps and forced us to look at them. Even after we told them everything we knew, which wasn’t much, they gave us knives and demanded that we stab ourselves in the thighs, again… and again and again!” Gunther was screaming that point, repeating the word ‘again’ as it echoed throughout the huge ballroom. Tears streamed down his cheeks and his eyes stared blankly, widely. Trauma covered his face so thickly that Eren’s heart started beating faster. He wanted to do something, to stop whatever emotional pain kept Gunther chained to his past, but he didn’t know exactly what needed to be done. He took a panicked step back and bit onto his lip so hard that it hurt.

“Gunther!” Eld shouted above the screaming, adding to the mix of echoing yawps. Everything silenced after that as the softly repeated phrases died. It gave Eld the quiet room he needed to finish their story. “It stopped when Levi found us. It stopped within a second. The rope holding us down was burnt off with flames that didn’t hurt our skin. The guards were slashed to bits until they were heaps on the concrete. Everything past that, we don’t quite remember. We’d both lost enough blood at that point, but we both remember asking to follow Levi until the ends of the earth. When we woke up, the entire camp had been cleared out. Soldiers were dead. Prisoners were either murdered, too starved to move or racing across the meadows in hopes to get to Spain or Portugal, though we’re not sure how far they got. We were immoral, ravenous, and led to a few other camps by Levi until leaving Germany altogether.” After a short pause, Eld found some sort of strength inside of him to smile. “And our toes somehow grew back during the change.”

“They couldn’t hurt us anymore,” Gunther whispered in self-assurance. “And they can’t now.”

“You’re right,” Eld set his arm around Gunther, pulling him a little closer for physical support. “No one in our family will let them.”

Gunther looked up to Eren, finally looking like himself again. He sighed and wiped away his tears with the back of his hand and frowned, “Sorry you had to see that.”

Eren couldn’t shake his head fast enough. “Don’t be sorry for something like that, ever. You guys… I can’t believe you got through something like that.”

“Even after years of healing, it still doesn’t always go away,” Gunther offered a little apologetic smile and picked up the basketball at his feet. “Hange talks with us about it and gets us through. They’re a little crazy, but somehow, they can make you see things in a new direction that helps. And Levi is nice enough to not make us do anything out of our comfort zone. If it comes down to us having to go after the purebloods fighting for these modern laws, he won’t make us fight.”

“But we will,” Eld smiled a little to Gunther. “Because we can’t let this oppression against the humans and the Omegas continue. We can’t let mothers give their children to strangers or for humans to be kept in cages like animals. We won’t pretend that it isn’t wrong and now that we have an opening, we’ll fight.”

Eren didn’t notice he started crying due to their selfless passion. The two opened up to him enough to show him their scars, and he wanted to reciprocate so badly but didn’t know how. He’d always been a tactile person and ended up reaching out for the both of them for a hug, one that made them feel a little bit less like acquaintances and more like family.

“Oi, why’d you make him cry?” Levi’s voice cut through the empty room. “Did you break the hoop or something?”

Eld and Gunther pulled away enough to give Eren a little push toward Levi. His need for physical closeness didn’t die then and he just fell right into Levi’s arms instead, grasping onto him with a newfound sympathy for all they’d suffered throughout the years. Gunther and Eld were right, Levi was sort of like an angel, a real one with wings and magic. Rather than feathers of white, however, they were black as the night. Rather than a heavenly magic, his came from a Goddess of Death. Still, though, he was an angel whether he knew it or not.

“You okay?” Levi asked, still unsure. The pureblood still hugged him back firmly, but kept glancing between Eld, Gunther, and Eren in an attempt to read the situation. Eren would have to tell him later as Gunther and Eld were already leaving the room with little chuckles, telling them they needed to rest for a bit and chat with Hange.

“Fine,” Eren affirmed, hopping down back to his feet and picking up a stray basketball. “Gunther and Eld were teaching me how to play, but I sort of suck at it,” Eren shrugged and turned to the hoop, trying his best to aim like they’d told him to. Instead of tossing it too high, though, his throw was too weak, and the ball fell short. “At least I didn’t over-throw it that time.”

“Controlling your strength isn’t easy, so don’t get down on yourself for missing a few times. Keep at it and you’ll get it.”

Eren nodded a little and grabbed another ball from the floor, taking aim. “So, how’d grocery shopping with Petra go?”

“Fine. Human food has changed so much, I’m really just there to make sure she’s safe and to pay the bill. Too many brands and everything is so processed.”

“That’s what makes it yummy,” Eren chuckled, tossing the ball toward the hoop. He wanted to groan when he didn’t make it yet again but grabbed another ball instead of getting frustrated about it. He took a few steps closer to the hoop, choosing to make the goal a little easier for himself.

“It’s what makes it terrible for you,” Levi crossed his arms and watched Eren’s movements carefully, as if he were studying them.

Eren ignored the pureblood and took a deep breath before tossing the ball up. It hit the rim and bounced right back toward him, hitting him in the forehead when he didn’t move away fast enough. He rubbed at the spot for a few seconds before grabbing another ball. “Stocking up the fridge for our new housemates?”

“Yeah, they’re still human and need that sort of thing. Petra, Moblit and Hange will be making them comfortable on the main floor. They said they’d probably be terrified of me and the changelings, so we’ll be quarantined for a while until they start to recover. I doubt they’ll ever be able to live freely, so our hope is to get them acclimated to living in a pureblood household without the threat of a marking.”

“How many?”

“Not sure yet. Erwin is going to allocate them.”

Eren hummed a little in response and kept his attention on the basketballs, throwing one after the other and missing terribly each time. He either used too much power or not enough, unable to pinpoint a happy medium. With building frustration, he threw one so hard that it hit the backboard and caused the whole hoop to topple over.

A hand on his shoulder put a halt to his ragged breathing. “Hey, calm down.” Eren whipped around to see Levi staring at him with a stern frown. “You won’t make it when you’re riled up like that.” He rounded the hoop to get a good hold of the backboard and hefted it back up with a simple, effortless push. “So, if you want to actually get one in, you need to focus.”

“On what?” Eren complained.

“On the strength behind your throws. You barely had any as a malnourished human and now you’re my Omega with new power and strength to figure out. You’re going from zero to one hundred and you need to learn to _feel_ your own strength instead of tossing it blindly.”

Eren didn’t appreciate the lecture, but he did take the words to heart. He closed his eyes to concentrate on his muscles and his new strength. From so many failed attempts, he knew what was too much and not enough. It was surprising how far he could make the ball fly without realizing it yet frustrated with how his attempt to be gentler was either still too much power or overexaggerated to the point that it didn’t even make it to the hoop.  Sudden, new strength was odd and something he never thought he’d encounter. While he felt normal enough, he noticed how easy it was to misjudge his grasp on something or how fast he could run.

So, after taking all of his failed attempts into consideration, he set himself back up to the free throw line and grabbed the nearest ball.

“Don’t forget to breathe and don’t use your anger as a throwing mechanism. Just toss it, nice and easy,” Levi spoke from directly behind him, volume down to a whisper to let Eren concentrate.

The ball left Eren’s fingertips with more grace and fluidity than his past attempts. It soared through the air, directly toward the backboard. It bounced off the back, only a little, and rolled around the rim before falling right through the net.

“Yes!” Eren was quick to jump in celebration, throwing his fist into the air with victory.

He got a pat on the back from Levi. “Good work, fledgling.”

“Why do you keep calling me that?”

“It suits you. I actually have a surprise for you.”

“A surprise?” Eren cocked an eyebrow. Levi didn’t seem like one for surprises, both on the giving and receiving end.

“It’s customary for an Alpha to present their Omega with a gift amidst their courting. I didn’t have the opportunity due to our circumstances, but I’d like to show you now.”

“Now?”

“It’s as good of a time as any. Unless you’ve got plans?”

“Can we fly there?”

“I was planning on it.”

“Then let’s go!” Eren exclaimed, excited for another flight.

Levi raised a hand to make every stray basketball in the room levitate off of the floor and float toward the big basket that all the balls were kept in. Once they were cleaned up, Levi took Eren’s hand to lead him out to the front lawn. The moon was full and bright, lighting up the otherwise dark earth. It captivated Eren’s eyes for the few seconds Levi took to change his form.

When Eren turned around, he had to smile at Levi. Huge, black wings spanned from his back, leaking feathers over the perfectly manicured lawn. Pointed, curling horns tangled up in Levi’s dark hair, giving him the wild look of a monster. Tail slightly waving back and forth, Levi opened his arms up to allow Eren in. He didn’t hesitate to crawl into those arms, so the pureblood could hold him tightly before taking off into the sky.

The wind whipped around them sharply, but luckily the trip didn’t take too long. Eren didn’t care about the temperature, it wasn’t like he’d die from it. Still, Levi seemed to take precautions by holding Eren a little tighter and flying a little faster.

It amazed him how close Levi’s estate and his old town were to one another. The journey didn’t take as long as he’d expected, especially by flight. Levi flapped down slowly until his feet hit the ground. They dropped down on the outskirts of the town, far from any human eyes but close to the remains of his old home. When he scanned the area for it, however, he found something new.

Instead of the charred and broken pieces of his old house, there was a garden planted instead. Rose bushes were planted around the perimeter and even more flowers scattered throughout. In the middle of it all was a beautiful headstone with letters elegantly engraved: _Carla Jaeger._

“M-my mom…” Eren broke away from Levi in favor of stumbling toward the headstone, falling to his knees in front of it. He pressed his fingertips against the stone, tracing out each letter of her name. The poor didn’t get gravestones, it was common knowledge. It was a right reserved only for the wealthy, who usually had catacombs or specific areas for their deceased.

Eren spun around to look at Levi with wide eyes, “You did this?”

“I had the idea. Mike helped with the landscaping and Petra chose the stone. Hange and Moblit assisted as well. It was a family effort. Now, you can come visit her whenever you wish. I know it’s not like having her here, but…”

“Thank you,” Eren cut Levi off. “Thank you for this.” He turned back to the stone, still kneeling before it, and clasped his hands together. There were no prayers or words that came to mind, he just sat in front of her headstone with a feeling of relief. Levi sank to his knees too, right beside him.

“Tell me about her?” he asked. It was an innocent question, one out of pure curiosity.

Eren was happy to indulge. “She hated vampires, but she hated humans too. She did everything she could to keep me safe from both, saying it was for my own good. But… she made it okay. She brought me curly fries and cinnamon buns when she could. She always made sure I ate first, no matter what. She taught me to read, sort of, and to write too. Sometimes math, but I didn’t really like learning about it. Most of all, she loved books. She always brought me books to read. Movies too.”

“She sounds like a wonderful mother,” Levi hummed.

Eren kept going, smiling as he explained more and more. “She smiled a lot at home and laughed at all my stupid jokes. She was my best friend, my only friend. Even though I hated being there, she made it worth it.”

Eren leaned over to the nearest rosebush and plucked off a full, blossoming red rose. The little thorns stabbed into his fingers, but he disregarded the blood that spilled along the stem. He set it on top of the stone and didn’t bother to wipe away the blood that dripped from his thumb and onto the stone. It was _their_ blood, after all, his mother’s and his.

“It turned out okay,” he whispered to her. “I’m happy, I really am. I stabbed a vampire in the hand with a fork and even managed to kill one, too. Isn’t that sort of cool?” He let out a weak laugh before sighing. “I miss you.”

* * *

After some silent tears and a heartfelt goodbye to his mother, they made their way home and somewhere in the flight Eren had fallen asleep. Levi set his Omega in bed, tucking him in and abandoning the bedroom for just a few moments to meet with Mike, who was waiting for him in the kitchen.

“Erwin wants to move the unmarked Omegas soon. We’ll be receiving Nanaba, Historia, Jean, Connie, and Sasha. As for changelings, he’ll send over Oruo and Ymir. There was one human found, a peculiar case, who will also be arriving, a young woman named Mikasa.”

“A human? Not an Omega?”

Mike nodded. “She hasn’t spoken about why she was there, perhaps Hange and Moblit could get the full story. She’s got a B blood type.”

“It’s going to be a full house,” Levi ran a hand through his hair.

“We’re getting the most traumatized ones because of Hange and Moblit’s medical expertise. I’d recommend laying low for a while.”

“Already planning on it. Eren still seems tense about the situation, so it’d probably be better to keep him occupied upstairs.”

“We’ll make ourselves scarce too while Hange, Petra, and Moblit handle them and make them feel at home.”

Levi perused through the fridge in their moment of silent, grabbing a to-go container he’d picked up from the bakery while he and Petra had gone shopping. He scooped out its contents onto a plate and set it into the microwave for a minute. Mike pointed his nose toward the treat and cocked his head to the side, silently questioning what Levi was making.

“Cinnamon bun,” Levi explained shortly. “Eren likes them.”

“Probably because you smell like one,” Mike wrinkled his nose. “Especially when you’re around him.”

“Any news on his missing mother’s corpse?”

“Nothing.”

“Keep searching.”

“Right.”

The microwave beeped a few times before Levi got out the steaming cinnamon bun. The icing melted over the bun and the sugary sweetness hit Levi’s nose hard. He had to wonder how the hell Eren could eat something so sweet.

“I have a theory,” Mike finally said, voice low.

Levi turned to wait for him to go on, setting the plate down on the kitchen island and leaning against it for support.

“What if she’s not dead?” he asked softly, in a whisper so low to prevent anyone in the household from hearing.

“Impossible.” It was the first word to come out of Levi’s mouth. “I saw her body there.”

“You saw _a_ body there.”

They stared at each other blankly for that moment, soaking in the possibility that Carla Jaeger was walking, alive, and well.

And most likely searching for her son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading <3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	19. Chapter 19

“ _Run, Eren!_ ” his mother shrieked. “Go without me! Now! _Go!_ ”

Eren looked down at his hands and blinked, wondering what the hell was going on. He looked before him to see his mother on the ground, staring up at him with urgent eyes. The house around them was burning, yet there was no heat. Why was she just lying there? “Come on, come with!” he kept shouting. “Don’t give up now! Mom!” His voice seemed to fall on deaf ears as she just stared at him blankly. When he tried to grab for her, his body wouldn’t obey.

A dark laugh came from the smoke as a man emerged with red eyes and a wicked grin. Eren soon realized it wasn’t a man, but some kind of monster. It approached them with sprawling wings behind its back and curling horns atop its head. Lips pulled up into a cruel smile, showing off fangs that dripped with fresh, dark blood.

“Eren, _get away from him,_ ” his mother hissed.

Eren’s brow scrunched up. Her words sounded unfamiliar, lacking her musical tone and warmth. Little speckles of ash hit her pale skin, painting her in grey. The ashes seemed to consume her, eating away at her skin and leaving behind an empty void. “Mom!” Eren screamed again, trying to force himself to _move._

Booming voices from above chanted together, a million screams combining into one, “Our evidence indicates that you, Carla Jaeger, are guilty.”

The ashes swirled around his mother like a tornado, whipping around her as she shrieked for Eren to save her, to chase away the monsters. The world around him began to turn red and when the tornado calmed, his mother stared back at him with eyes of pure terror. “Eren… you…” she pointed toward him with tears running down her face.

Eren glanced behind him to see the monster putting a hand on his shoulder and fangs into his neck. He didn’t feel a thing other than panic, lashing out to fight whatever scared his mother and whatever was clutching onto him.

“Stop, stop, _stop,_ ” he shrieked.

Eren sat up in bed, thrashing, and grabbing at the furry monster sitting on him. Without a second thought, he sank his fangs right into the beast to pull out a yelping screech from the thing. Whatever it was scrambled out of Eren’s grasp and bolted toward the other side of the room.

“Eren!” a low, familiar voice called out to him. “Eren, stop,” it repeated in a calmer, soothing tone that lulled Eren’s entire body. He sank heavily into the mattress and soon realized that he was in his bedroom right next to Levi. The pureblood looked at him with sharp eyes filled with concern and a hand on Eren’s shoulder as if to hold him in reality.

After blinking a few times to adjust himself to the waking world, it all made sense. “A nightmare,” he mumbled, mostly to himself, while trying to calm down.

“Just a nightmare,” Levi repeated for extra assurance.

“Then what did I…?” Eren glanced around the room to hear a cat’s cry. He noticed Bean curled up in the corner, already licking wounds. “Bean!” Eren gasped, covering up his mouth with a hand and already crawling across the bed to get to the cat. “Fuck, I’m so sorry, Bean!” he was already apologizing as he crept closer.

“I’ll text Hange. They’ll fix him up if he needs stitches. I doubt it, though, your fangs aren’t too big or sharp yet. Bean’s been in tougher battles,” Levi kept his tone even, creating a comforting calm in the room. That spicy scent seemed to calm Bean down too as he stopped crying and kept trying to lick at the marks. Eren had gotten him near the neck, making it hard for Bean to lap at himself without stretching up awkwardly.

“I feel so shitty, I can’t believe I did that,” Eren berated himself and rolled off the bed to crawl a little closer toward Bean. “Will you forgive me?” he asked the cat, who was too preoccupied with his wounds to mind Eren or even acknowledge him.

“I think he’ll be okay,” Levi sunk to the floor too, if just to pull Eren into his arms. “Stop fretting over him and get dressed before Hange bursts in to find you in your underwear.”

Eren rolled out of Levi’s grasp to gather up something to wear. He didn’t have many proper clothes that weren’t Levi’s and ended up in a pair of gym shorts before Hange let themselves right in without a knock. Levi had somehow gotten on some loose sweatpants and a t-shirt during the three seconds Eren took his eyes off the pureblood. _When will I get to move that fast_? Eren thought silently before returning his attention to the cat.

“ _Of course,_ I ask to be bitten by a vampire a _million_ times and yet Bean is the first one to get a bite. Damned cat beat me to it,” Hange joked, keeping the situation light while examining Bean’s wounds. They dug through fur matted with blood and squinted, “Eren, where did you bite him? I’m seeing blood, but no…”

Levi was the first to huddle in next to Hange. “He got him around the neck,” Levi explained, pointing toward the spot. Eren plopped himself on the other side of Levi to see what they were looking at.

Apparently, they were looking at nothing. There were no bite marks, no puncture wounds whatsoever.

“I… need to take Bean to my lab…” Hange picked up the cat gently, cradling him like a baby. Bean didn’t mind at all and started purring at their touch. “This is… strange.”

“I don’t understand,” Eren shook his head. “I bit him. I swear I did. There’s blood, even!”

“I believe you, Eren,” Hange told him, humming a bit toward the end in thought. “I honestly don’t understand either, but I will. I’ll let you both know what Moblit and I come up with.”

“I told you he’d be fine. He’s quick to recover,” Levi dared to joke a little, if only to just help Eren calm down once Hange left and closed the door behind them. “Now, come back to bed.”

With that, the pureblood shucked off his clothes and crawled right back to the space he’d abandoned. Eren did the same, snuggling in next to Levi but still utterly confused. Not only was he rattled by his oddly realistic nightmare, but also from attacking Bean. “I can’t believe I did that. I would have rather bitten you,” he spoke rather seriously. “I could have _killed_ Bean.”

“You were afraid,” Levi reminded him. “You didn’t intend to hurt the cat, you were just reacting because of your nightmare.”

“I guess…” The rationality didn’t make him feel better, but it did make sense.

“Want to talk about it?”

“It was just, my mom. It was a repeat of the last time I saw her, sort of. She said some different things and there was some kind of monster involved.” Eren pressed his forehead against Levi’s sternum. The gesture spurred Levi into letting one of his hands wander up and into Eren’s hair. “She was telling me to get away from whatever it was, and I was just trying to get her out of that house before it burnt down, but I couldn’t move at all. Then, someone said she was guilty of something. Then, she just looked at me like _I_ was the scary one. After that, the monster started attacking me and I just… fought back.”

“What did the monster look like?”

“I don’t really remember. Big, I think. There was a lot of smoke, so it was hard to see,” Eren sighed. Talking about the dream actually did help in a strange way, making it seem a lot less scary and a little more ridiculous with every word. “It was probably just the bad memory mixed in with scary stuff.”

“Did she say anything to you that was different? Something she had never said before?” Levi’s questions were oddly sincere, as if he were truly interested in knowing. It was odd, but Eren was tired and chatting certainly helped him gain a grip back on reality.

“She said to get away from him, the monster. Seems like commonsense, though.”

The pureblood just hummed and pulled in Eren a little closer, closing the millimeters between them. “Feeling less afraid now?”

“Yes,” Eren nodded.

“You’re technically snuggling with the world’s fiercest vampire at the moment, if that makes you feel any better. If anything wanted to get you, it would have to go through me first.”

It brought a giggle out of Eren and he reached up to leave some little kisses along Levi’s jawline. “If you die, I die, so it wouldn’t be the worst way to go.”

“What would be the worst way?”

“If something killed you and I didn’t die too.” It was morbid, but true. Levi quickly became Eren’s entire world. He had their housemates as a family, new friends, and even Bean too. There were plenty of new adventures to embark upon as well as an entire world to explore, but he knew it would feel empty without Levi there too. Perhaps it was a characteristic of Omegas that he didn’t know about, a certain dependency that ran tightly alongside his own lifeline. It wasn’t just him that needed Levi, Levi needed him as well.

“Together it is, then,” Levi surprisingly went along with the sentiment. It warmed Eren’s heart to know he wasn’t the only one feeling so swept up in undying (or perhaps dying) devotion. “But that won’t happen for a long, long time. So, we won’t have to worry,” he added on at the end, seemingly sure of their lasting immortality. Eren picked up on a strange, thoughtful tone to his words and had to wonder if there was anything behind Levi’s words that he was unaware of.

Levi must have noticed Eren’s muddled thoughts and placed a finger between the Omega’s eyebrows. “Get some sleep, it’s nearly dusk.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Eren swatted a little at Levi’s fingers in a playful manner before yawning and coaxing himself right back to sleep.

* * *

“You’re kidding,” Levi spoke rather flatly, staring in disbelief at his medically-inclined friend. Hange just stared at him right back, just as blankly but shaking their head.

“I’m not,” they assured.

“Repeat what you just told me and explain to me why the hell I should believe a word you just said.”

“Bean’s blood type has changed. It used to be B and now it’s O. I’ve compared this new sample to that on his fur as well as some samples I’ve taken from him in the past. Trust me, I’ve checked at least a hundred times since the incident.”

“What? Did it just change instantly?”

“I checked his blood two and a half hours after Eren bit him, maybe three. He was acting strangely, and I wanted to make sure Eren didn’t give him rabies or something.”

“Rabies?” Eren raised an eyebrow at her with crossed arms.

Hange ignored him in favor of ranting again. “This is… this is _world-changing,_ you two. This defies mammal evolution. Humans and animals alike _only_ have Type B blood, there is no possible way that anything else could have changed Bean’s blood type except for Eren’s bite.”

“We cannot tell a single soul,” Levi urgently inserted. He knew right away that such a power, if it _was_ legitimate, would be exactly as Hange stated: world-changing.

“Of course not,” Hange agreed. “And I won’t. Except for Moblit, because he helped make the discovery.”

“Secret’s safe with me,” Moblit commented from his corner as he flipped through pages of some old texts Levi had. Some purebloods from ages ago used to keep records of changeling and pureblood powers, and Moblit wondered if it had ever been discovered before.

“ _Anyway,_ ” Hange diverted their attention back to the main topic at hand. “We need to try this on a human.”

“No,” Levi was quick to say. It was his gut instinct to not let Eren’s lips come near anyone but himself unless it was some kind of life or death situation.

“Levi,” Hange glared at him, actually glared. They rarely got so passionate about something that they stood up to him with such a serious expression. “We cannot keep this power hidden away because of your own selfish needs. This _needs_ to be explored further.”

“Selfish?”

“You just don’t want Eren’s lips on someone other than you.”

“I…” Levi cut his own defense off. She was _partially_ right. But, also, very wrong. “My feelings don’t matter here. We need to ask Eren what he feels comfortable with. A power like this can be easily abused if it ends up in the wrong hands, which could put him at risk.”

There were numerous possibilities. Someone could steal Eren away and force him to start enslaving humans into the life of a vampire juice box. Humans could start begging him for a life of immortality. Or, someone might want to kill him to abolish the power for good. All possibilities scared the dying shit out of Levi and he found the safest, and most attractive, option was to keep it all a secret.

“This could save the extinction of vampires all together,” Hange mumbled.

“This could erase all the progress humanity has made to abolish them,” Levi countered.

“Perhaps this is your species’ way of making a comeback.”

“Or just a fucking mistake.”

“Will you _stop_ being so negative and let me at least _try_ to test this?” Hange huffed, voice raising in volume. “You let me in after I begged for so long. You let me take your blood samples after begging, too. Let’s skip the begging and get to the part where you let me _do this_.”

Levi crossed his arms and took a step back from her, not wanting to get any more involved in the matter. “It’s not my decision,” he finally stated, attempting to reign in his growing anger. “It’s Eren’s.”

He suddenly wished he had the power of telepathy like some vampires did. That way, he could plead for Eren to not let Hange touch a single hair on his pretty head.

“Okay,” Eren softly spoke, as if he wasn’t sure himself.

“Really?” Hange’s eyes sparkled and all frustration melted from their very being.

“Sure,” Eren shrugged. “But, I want Levi to be comfortable with it too.”

It was too fucking endearing to deny. “You’re not taking his blood or using any needles on him,” Levi set some guidelines. “And the minute he tells you to stop doing something, you will _stop._ You’ll help me out, right, Moblit?”

“You got it, boss,” Moblit idly responded, still sucked into the book he was flipping through. It was a good enough response for Levi, knowing that Moblit was probably one of the few people who could control Hange.

When Levi raised an eyebrow at Hange, waiting for their response, they gave him a firm, earnest nod. “Understood.”

“You can begin once things settle down and we get the humans and Omegas sorted here,” Levi decided. “The last thing they need is for their therapist to die or something.”

“Die?” Eren’s eyes widened. “I don’t want to _kill_ Hange!”

“You won’t,” Hange assured him. It just pulled out another doubtful stare from Levi. They didn’t know exactly what Eren’s powers were or what they could do. Typically, an Omega just inherited their Alpha’s powers and nothing more. Eren ended up, per usual, as a special case. Levi was surprised he even imagined that their mating would be anywhere near normal.

With that, Eren and Levi left Hange and Moblit to their work. The moment they walked out of the lab, Petra was rushing up to them looking exhausted as ever. “We really need to do some more shopping,” she sulked. “And not just groceries. We got done cleaning the guest rooms and bathrooms, they’re all fine. We need all sorts of different clothes and toiletries. I made a list…” she held out a notepad filled up with a giant list with multiple columns. “I just want you to look it over before I go out to get it all.”

“We’ll get it done. Go take a nap.” Levi snatched the list from her and started reading it all over. He truly admired Petra’s organization and neat handwriting. There wasn’t a single thing missing on the list. She even got the sizes of clothing down, most likely getting the information from Erwin or Armin somehow.

“Really? You’re going to get all that done?”

“Yeah, Eren and I can handle it. You look dead. Get some rest.”

She blinked at them for a bit before smiling and nodding. “Thank you. Call me if there is anything you don’t understand or can’t find.”

Knowing Petra, she probably hadn’t slept all day and kept working into the night. Her sleep schedule was completely fucked, torn between wanting to be with her vampiric family and wanting to see the sun. Often, Levi wondered why she even stuck around. He knew without her, though, they’d all be screwed and end up living like animals.

The duo changed into appropriate clothes first. The late summer weather was warm enough to not require a coat, but they did throw on some decent pants and shirts. Levi helped Eren into some jeans, soft and dark-hued. It took a little magic to adjust the size from Levi’s to Eren’s, but they fit him into the pair. Levi almost found it a little odd to see Eren dressed so smartly in perfectly tailored jeans and a green, short-sleeved button-up. Levi fixed himself in some black slacks, boots, white shirt, and brown jacket.

“Let’s head to the car,” Levi decided once they were dressed, escorting Eren to the vehicles in the garage. Alongside his bike were all sorts of different vehicles. Mike had a pick-up truck and Petra had a sharp little car. Farlan kept a cover over his Mustang. Levi grabbed the keys off the wall-hooks for the family’s black SUV.

“Looks fancy,” Eren said as he stepped in to the front passenger’s seat.

“Farlan picks out all of our cars. He’s got a thing for them,” Levi shortly explained as he got in himself, turning on the car and opening up the garage door with the buttons installed into the car. As he drove off toward the nearest city, Eren sat up in his seat and stared out the window.

It was the second time they’d gone out into the world together, leaving the safety of his estate. The slight anxiety he felt by putting Eren at risk caused him to warn, “While we’re out, don’t wander off, okay?”

“Yeah, okay,” Eren answered without breaking his gaze out the window. “The first time we were out, I got a death curse put on me, so I can’t imagine anything worse happening.”

 _I can_ , Levi thought as his mind played through every possible threat. Even after the long drive, his nerves didn’t settle. Eren was so busy taking in the sights that he hadn’t paid Levi any mind, nor did he notice the growing scent of fear lingering in the vehicle.

“So, where are we going, anyway?” Eren eyed the world around them, curious as ever. It was adorable, but Levi wouldn’t comment on it while he was so on edge.

“A mall,” he sighed with exhaustion. “Tons of department stores all in one place will make this an efficient job. It’ll close soon, though, so we need to move fast.”

“I’ve seen lots of malls in the movies,” Eren hummed happily. “But I’ve never been to one.”

“Just stay close, will you?” Levi nearly begged, knowing it would be an overwhelming experience for Eren. His Omega spent his entire life cooped up by himself, so how would Eren react when he was surrounded by tons of humans all at once?

After they parked and took an elevator to the main shopping area, Levi found Eren to be nothing short of mystified. Eren’s eyes were bright with curiosity and wonder as they walked through the many hallways to reach the first store on Petra’s list.

“She even drew a map on the back,” Levi noticed, wondering just how hopeless Petra thought he’d be.

“How’d you two meet?” Eren asked, holding onto the hem of Levi’s jacket as they wandered into a clothing store.

“I met Petra when she was a little girl.” Levi thought back on the feisty little thing he’d found nearly two decades ago. He started draping soft-looking sweaters over his arm to purchase, minding the sizes and colors. “I was visiting Paris on a whim and found her wandering the streets, selling flowers. When I wouldn’t buy one, she called me a stupid vampire and whipped out a rusty kitchen knife with the intent to stab me until I bought one.”

Eren gaped at Levi, unable to imagine Petra behaving so violently at first. Then, as he got used to the idea, it started to make sense.

“I asked her where the hell her parents were and she said she didn’t have any. When a police officer stopped us and asked if I was okay, they threatened to take her in. She claimed that I was her father and would be taking her home. So… I did.”

“And she’s been here ever since?”

“We all sort of raised her together, not like she needed much of our help. She did everything independently, even got herself to school and back on her own while we stayed out of the sunlight.”

“That sounds like Petra,” Eren laughed a little, helping by taking the load off of Levi’s arm and carrying it himself while Levi picked up a batch of pants.

“She’s been nice to have around and never mentioned wanting to leave, so we’ve stuck together over the years.”

“I hope she never wants to leave,” Eren confessed. It made sense for him to grow so fond of her after spending his first few weeks at their home chasing after her.

“Me too,” Levi had to agree. He knew his human friend would eventually grow old or perhaps move on with her life, but he chose to appreciate the time he had with her. As anyone he remotely respected, he wouldn’t change her or even mention it. Though, if she asked, he’d be tempted to.

They made their purchases and left with three huge paper bags filled with clothes. Next, came the toiletries which led them to a shop that held such a potent scent it nearly covered up Eren’s. That in itself made Levi nervous as the fumes teased his nose and hid Eren from him. Eren picked out a bunch of different soaps with varying scents and paused when he stood in front of a brightly colored stand.

“What’s up?” Levi asked him, looking between Eren and the stand. There were tons of soaps, perfumes, and candles all the same scent dubbed _Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice_.  

“Smells like you,” Eren picked up one of the candles and sniffed at the wax. “Almost exactly like you. Not as good, but… close.”

Levi grumbled a little, realizing why Eren was so transfixed. A candle that smelled like himself? That was what won Eren’s affections? He had to admit himself to be the tiniest bit jealous. Instead of a candle, he’d rather Eren sniff him all over instead. “Do you want to buy the candle? Just add it to the basket and we’ll get it,” Levi said instead of voicing his true emotions. With that sliver of permission, Eren grabbed as many items as he could and stuffed them into the basket Levi had been holding. Levi had to roll his eyes but, looking beyond his silly jealousy, found endearment in Eren’s infatuation with the scent as well.

It was strange, doing every day and ordinary things with Eren. They spent most of their relationship dancing around vampiric magic and politics. Rarely did they venture outside of the estate for safety’s sake and rarely did they take part in something so regular together. It was nice, in Levi’s opinion, and he found himself putting his guard down with every new step they took.

“I like doing this sort of thing with you,” Eren commented, as if sensing the same thing. “It’s fun. We should do it more often.”

Levi nodded in agreement as they walked back to the car together, smiling at how Eren could make even the most mundane tasks a wonderful adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so happy to announce that there is [new artwork](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/post/174963691670/red-ribbons-of-blood-flowed-from-levis-markings) based off of this story! From the loveliest, sweetest artist [morebeesthanyoucouldimagine](http://morebeesthanyoucouldimagine.tumblr.com/). I thank you for your kindness, and for dazzling me with your artistic abilities, Kayu!! <3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	20. Chapter 20

Erwin and Armin drove over the humans and changelings that were expected to arrive at Levi’s estate during the daytime. Petra was ready at the front door with a huge smile and plenty of food ready in case they were hungry. She’d given Hange and Moblit explicit instructions on how to behave around the newcomers. _Be gentle, don’t touch them without permission, keep your voices low and soft, don’t rush them or scare them whatsoever…_ She went over the rules in her own mind, knowing just how important it was to make a good impression.

Nanaba was a familiar face, and one of the few Omegas who actually smiled. She seemed excited with the new change of pace and gave Petra a little wave before letting herself in. Petra noticed her glancing around the house, perhaps looking for a certain someone. Moblit followed her in, probably to ask her about the others and how they were feeling.

The rest of the newcomers were more tentative, following Erwin and Armin’s lead. Everyone gathered in the foyer, which Petra made sure to keep brightly lit with all the drapes pulled open but of course not too bright either, leaving the light chiffon shades down and loose. She took the opportunity to open up the windows to air out the estate as well, making it feel fresh and new. Once they were all in, Erwin and Armin said their goodbyes and rushed back home to take care of their own new house guests.

“Welcome,” she greeted them all, standing before them like some kind of cheerful tour guide. “I understand you’ve all been through hell and back, but I do hope you allow us to make you feel safe and at home here.”

She received silence and a bunch of sulky faces. One girl was even nibbling on a plain piece of bread, hardly paying any attention. In the back of Petra’s mind, she could have sworn she heard crickets chirping.

“Okay, I’ll get on with the tour,” she laughed a little nervously and started on her way toward the kitchen, letting them know they can help themselves to anything in there as long as it wasn’t labeled. She repeated herself at least ten times when telling them that if there was anything at all they wanted or needed, to let her know so she could pick it up for them.

The next most important place to go was the wing where all the bedrooms and bathrooms were. Each of the newcomers got their own room unless they felt more comfortable with a roommate. None of them said much, but she did notice one of the changelings take an Omegan girl’s hand as if for reassurance.

After that, she got to show them the more fun things like the pool and the ballroom-turned-basketball court. Once everything on the main floor was covered, she brought them all to the study where they could sit and enjoy the sunshine while going over names. The newcomers, Petra, Moblit, and Hange all filled up the chairs and couches. Petra made sure to bring even more in for the occasion. She had them all adjusted in a big circle and Hange joked that it looked like some kind of support group set-up. Petra just shrugged and told her that it sort of was. Each and every one of the newcomers needed their support and kindness after what they’d endured.

She hoped the brightness of the room along with its soft and warm colors would set them at ease. From what she’d heard from Erwin and Levi, they had all lived most of their lives in the darkness. The paleness of them all spoke to that fact and she saw a few wandering eyes glance out the windows at the trees and sunshine with a twinkling of happiness. Along with the humans, there were two changelings that had their own stories of pain, loss, and probably manipulation. For their own comfort, Moblit escorted them to a darker section of the room so they could still be a part of the group and avoid the direct sunshine. Petra found the one human, Mikasa, most interesting as she seemed completely void of anything at all. Her young, pale face was a blank slate.

According to Erwin and Armin’s records, they were all about Eren’s age, except for the changelings whose immortality left their ages unknown. She wondered if Eren could befriend any of them, perhaps making their transition from Hell to normal life easier.

Petra urged them all to introduce themselves, figuring it was as good of a place as any to start. She figured most of the humans were kept apart and discouraged from making friends in order to keep them obedient and hopeless. While the thought depressed her, it also motivated her to make them all feel like a family.

“I’m Nanaba and you all know I volunteered to move here from Erwin and Armin’s. Hange and Moblit are extremely helpful to talk to and everyone here is really nice,” Nanaba helpfully introduced herself first to get the ball rolling. “Thanks for giving us a tour, Petra.”

Petra nodded and looked to the others, hoping someone else would start. Luckily, one of the Omegas manned up to the task. “I’m Jean Kirstein.” It was all he said, but it was something. He seemed the least afraid out of all of them or most likely putting on a brave face. Either way, Petra found him to be strong in his own way and gave him a smile. She was ready to hug him when he urged the others on. “Come on, guys, just get it over with. Connie, you go.”

“Connie Springer,” the kid with the shaved head spat out at Jean’s request. His eyes seemed hollow, as if he hadn’t gotten any sleep in the past year or two.

“Sasha Blouse,” the girl eating the bread responded shortly after.

“Looks like it’s your turn, sweetheart,” the female changeling nodded at the little blonde Omega that was left. It was a playful, teasing that showed fondness. Petra figured they were close, as the Omega chose to sit in the darkness next to the changeling rather than in the light with the others.

“H-Historia,” the blonde girl glared up at her changeling friend. “And that’s Ymir.”

“Oluo Bozado,” the male changeling finally answered. He looked even worse than the Omegas with an overgrown haircut and a black eye. Petra wondered what he’d been through and why but didn’t have much time to ponder.

“Mikasa,” the human answered last. She had a soft yet strong voice, as though she were both a leader and a support team all in one.

“As Petra has said a million times today, I’m Hange,” Hange broke in, deciding to take the lead. “Moblit and I will work together to give you all the support and medical attention you all need. We not only want you to be physically well, but mentally too. Your days as captives are _over_ and we want to help you find your lives again, no matter what it takes.”

“We’ll sort out a schedule to do an introductory meeting first, followed by times that you feel comfortable with. Whether it be in the daylight or at night, we’ll be here for you,” Moblit added, forgetting to even introduce himself. Petra said his name a few times during the tour, so they probably knew it already.

“So, where’s Ackerman?” Jean spoke up, almost aggressively based on the sharpness of his tone. “It’s Levi Ackerman’s house, right? Where is he?”

“Upstairs with the other changelings as well as his Omega,” Petra answered with a smile, hoping to cool down any heated emotions. “I told him to stay away for a while, at least until you all got acclimated to living here. They’ll all stay up there until we’re all settled on the main floor.”

“You told him to stay up there and he _listened_ to you?” Connie asked with wide eyes in disbelief.

“Of course. He’s not a monster,” Petra was happy to tell them. “Levi’s one of the good guys. He’s a bit rough on the edges, but he’s on our side.”

“He really is,” Nanaba agreed, hopefully providing additional proof for the doubtful humans. “And his Omega, Eren, is really nice as well.”

“He has an Omega? Are they… happy?” Historia dared to ask, coming out of her shell.

“He and Eren are very happy,” Petra laughed. She’d never seen two boys as stupidly in love as Levi and Eren.

“Annoyingly happy,” Hange snorted. “But it’s nice.”

“Like Erwin and Armin.” Nanaba was smiling too. Petra had to wonder what brought her around. When Erwin had introduced the two of them, Petra found Nanaba to be cold as if she were hiding behind a prickly wall. After a while, though, she seemed _happy_ to live in their estate. “It’s not impossible to love a vampire,” she spoke softly, as if embarrassed to admit it. “And it’s certainly not impossible to like one. You don’t have to feel like you need to hate them. We just hate the ones who hurt us.” The others seemed unsure of her statement, but she was shining with confidence and full belief. Apparently, Hange and Moblit’s therapy was helping her cope what she had gone through in a healthy way.

“It’s still early, so I’m going to run and make brunch. You’re free to mill about as you wish, just as long as you steer clear from the upper level. Feel free to pick out a bedroom and make yourself at home,” Petra excused herself. She wanted to give them all space to feel out the house as they wished. To her, it was sort of like letting a new cat into the house. With Bean, they started him off in a familiar room and let him explore for himself as he got more and more comfortable. She figured she’d do the same thing with the newcomers.

Hange and Moblit each took one of them to start planning out their therapy sessions and check-ups. With very little information on their tastes and possible allergies, Petra began to put together a beautiful, brunch-themed feast.

As she worked, she thought about how fun it could be to have more humans in the house. She sometimes spent days enjoying the daylight by herself, as Hange and Moblit usually kept to a nocturnal schedule like the others. Petra missed doing regular human things, like sunbathing and going out to eat. It was a bit lonely, living half of her life as a normal human and the other half following vampires. With Eren, she had gotten a small taste of what it would be like before he changed. After that, she truly wanted a human friend.

Or, perhaps someone that could finally convince her to change.

The mere thought had her sighing. There were hundreds of times she felt tempted to ask Levi to change her, to turn her into one of them so she could finally be one with her family. She knew he wouldn’t, but a small voice inside gave her hope that he would. Her life beyond her vampire family was bleak and empty. She had no aspirations beyond taking care of them, nor any interest in finding anything else. So, what was she even doing with her life?

That was a dangerous question. She got back to whipping up the eggs, hopefully whipping out those invasive thoughts too.

* * *

“This is weird,” Eren flatly said as Levi pulled him even closer into the embrace, using his free hand to push Eren’s face into his neck. All the while, the changelings were staring.

“It’s your feeding time, so eat,” Levi responded with sharp determination. He had them secluded in the corner, chests flush together. Eren was pressed to him as tightly as possible, as if they were attempting to fuse together.

“No,” Eren whined, trying to pull away. “Too fucking embarrassing.”

“Then maybe we need to get a _little more privacy,_ ” Levi hissed out to the others who were _still staring._

“It’s like a baby kitten. Too cute to look away,” Farlan responded with a cheeky smile.

“That’s so true!” Isabel added. Somehow, she’d gotten thrown into the room with them, most likely to keep Farlan occupied so he didn’t wander downstairs and accidentally scare someone.

Mike, Eld, and Gunther respectfully busied themselves with books or their phones, turning away as Levi had so kindly requested. Levi could tell they were sneaking peeks, though.

In a dramatic flash, Levi abandoned his human form in favor of his demon one. The transformation was as quick as a second, and it was the first time he’d done it in such close proximity to Eren. His Omega didn’t seem to mind or really notice until two large wings wrapped around them to create a private cocoon. “Will you eat now?” Levi asked softly, looking down to his Omega enveloped in wings.

Eren gave Levi a funny look, one Levi hadn’t seen on his Omega’s face ever before. It was almost alarming, like Eren recognized him from somewhere. The look passed quickly, though, and Eren seemed to snap back into reality. “Yeah, I guess,” he pouted as his stomach growled. Surely his own hunger had caught up with him and the privacy granted by wings was enough to get him to eat.

Eren bent his head down, guided by Levi’s hand still at his nape, and bite into Levi’s neck with little hesitation. The Omega had gotten more and more comfortable with every bite, sinking fangs into flesh as though it were an apple. As he started sucking in Levi’s blood, a contented and satisfied scent of sweet apples rose up from the confined space in Levi’s wings and hit him right in the face. His mate’s satisfaction brought out a growl of satisfaction from Levi’s throat which only brought out another embarrassed whine from Eren.

“I dub him the King of Over _kill_ ,” Farlan snickered, pointing out the lengths Levi went to just to make Eren happy.

“Looks like chivalry is _undead,_ ” Isabel joked right back.

“Fucking hell, they’re perfect for each other,” Eld murmured to Gunther regarding Farlan and Isabel.

“So are they,” Gunther snorted back, gesturing to Levi and Eren.

Levi glared at all of them from above his wing and looked back down to Eren, finding his mate to be nearly finished. “Why do you all have to be in our bedroom anyway?” he asked irritably. He thought of at least fifty different things he’d rather be doing (to Eren) rather than being stuck with half of his household crammed into his bedroom.

“Hange thinks it would be best to keep our scents concentrated in once place, rather than spread throughout the entire upper floor. Basically, we’re quarantined,” Farlan huffed, obviously upset that he was stuck indoors. “At least until she can feel them out to see how mentally damaged they are. It makes sense, a really smart move on her part.”

“And Isabel?”

“I’m a snack,” Isabel happily reported. She grinned and giggled when Farlan nibbled at her earlobe.

“You _are_ a snack,” he whispered to her, though Levi could hear it as if he were yelling.

“I didn’t get a bedtime snack,” Gunther sulked playfully before yawning and joking some more. “Hey, does this mean we all get to snuggle into bed with you and Eren?”

“ _No,_ ” Levi hissed, making everyone else laugh.

“But Levi, then they won’t have anywhere to sleep,” Eren murmured into his neck, licking away at the stray droplets of blood until the puncture wounds closed up.

“See? Eren’s okay with it,” Farlan continued to goad.

“You can all sleep at the foot of the bed like dogs,” Levi grumbled, transforming right back into his convenient human form to push Eren toward the bed like a mother hen. It was mid-morning and Eren hadn’t gotten any sleep since the previous day. Eren went along with the pushing, probably too tired to fight it. He curled up in his normal spot, right in the middle of the damned bed while Levi spooned him.

“It’s better than sleeping on the floor,” Isabel shrugged. She grabbed a throw blanket from one of the plush chairs and took Farlan’s hand to drag him to the bed of the bed where they curled up together. The obnoxiously huge bed finally came in handy as Levi never expected to have any sort of sleepover.

Eld and Gunter both gave each other a look of hesitation but then both smirked and pieced themselves onto the bed like puzzle pieces, one of them slotting in behind Levi and the other next to Farlan and Isabel. Finally, Mike made himself comfortable on the other side of Eren.

Levi had to be a little thankful. With the new scents of Omegas in the air, as well as some new changelings, his nose was overwhelmed, and his instincts were running wild. He wanted to protect Eren from the invaders, to keep him safe from strangers. While his logical mind knew they weren’t going to cause any harm, the monster inside remained wary. So, when his family surrounded them, he knew he could rest easy.

That is, until sometime around dusk when he had Farlan’s foot in his face and Gunther’s knee dangerously close to his morning wood (or perhaps ‘dusk’ wood). With Eren close to him, it wasn’t easy to reign in the more lustful of his instincts but Gunther’s knee and Farlan’s foot seemed to do the trick within seconds. He peered over to see that Isabel had somehow weaseled her way closer to Eren and Mike had his arm flopped over both of them while he snored. The tangle of limbs and bodies seemed to oddly work out so that he was the only uncomfortable one. At least Eren was still tucked right up next to him, right where he should be. He’d take a crick in his neck for Eren’s comfort, so he planned on staying in place until his Omega woke.

But just as he rose, everyone else did too which ruined his plans on letting Eren sleep. They all sensed someone incoming and surely enough, Petra was flinging the door open with reckless abandon. “Good evening!” she clapped and flicked on the light, waking up Isabel in the process. The redhead awoke with a jolt, nearly slapping Mike in the eye. He leaned back just far enough to miss the blow in a split-second.

“What’s with all the yelling?” Isabel groggily asked, sounding a bit pissed off by the rude awakening. She wasn’t fazed by waking up in a literal pit of vampires that could snap her neck, but she was irritated with Petra for waking her up. It almost made Levi want to snicker, but he held it in. Petra probably had a good reason for stirring them so abruptly.

“ _Levi_ ,” Eren whined, clutching Levi’s shirt and hiding his face against Levi’s skin to preserve at least enough darkness to fall back asleep. It was very clear that Eren wasn’t an early riser, and Levi found it as endearing as any other trait Eren had.

“What’s up, Petra?” Gunther managed to sit up and ask, blinking the sleep from his eyes.

“After Hange and Moblit got done chatting with our new housemates, we’ve decided that the changelings are allowed to roam about now. Levi, you and Eren are still on lock-down. Actually, Eren should be fine, but I’m assuming you’d rather him stay here.” She didn’t wait for a reply and scurried off, hopefully to get some rest but Levi doubted it.

“Can we go back to bed?” Isabel rolled across the bed (and across Eld and Gunther) to land on top of Farlan. “To sleep… and stuff?”

“Let’s do stuff first and sleep later,” Farlan hauled her up under one arm and made his way out with her squealing and latching on for support.

“Want to go turn on some loud music so we don’t hear the ‘stuff’?” Gunther suggested to Eld, who automatically nodded and took off out of Levi’s room together. Both of them were still yawning and Levi bet they’d end up just falling right back asleep to the soothing sounds of the jazz they always played. He noticed they usually stayed away from aggressive music or anything with vocals.

Mike shifted from his spot next to Eren and rubbed at his eyes. “I’ll go have Petra fill me in on the plan for the new arrivals and hopefully convince her to sleep. Let me know if you need anything.” He was obviously still half-asleep as he slurred his words and lumbered out the door, closing it behind him.

It left Levi finally alone with Eren again. He sniffed around the bed and noticed how it still held onto the scents of the changelings. While Eren still dozed lazily, Levi focused on covering up all those scents with his own again. Adjusting scents in a room had taken him a while to master, but just like any other skill in his arsenal he’d honed his craft to perfection. For Eren’s sake, he kept the scent as comforting and soothing as ever. He wanted his Omega to use their bedroom as a sanctuary, somewhere he could feel safe even when Levi wasn’t around. Levi practiced deep breathing and kept his thoughts calming and light while focusing on his own scent. It wasn’t difficult to create the feeling of loving comfort as his mind drifted to every moment he had shared with Eren since they first met. The memories quickly became Levi’s sanctuary and haven, chasing away the ones that haunted his dreams. He’d tell Eren about those eventually, ones involving a false king fighting for dominance and the consistently rising price on Levi’s head. It wasn’t a nice story, though, so he’d save it for a later date.

“Go back to bed and stop doing that scent thing,” Eren mumbled onto his skin, still tucked tightly into Levi’s side. “It’s so strong, it’s making me even more sleepy.”

“Maybe that’s the point,” Levi hummed. “That way, I can keep you here with me all day against your will.”

Eren snorted, “Against my will?”

“Yeah, you’re my captive,” Levi teased.

“I think you’re _my_ captive, Levi,” Eren corrected, clinging onto his Alpha’s arm tightly.

“You’re probably right.”

“I _am_ right.”

“Cheeky brat.”

“Grumpy vampire.”

It was Levi’s turn to snort. “Sleep until you’re happy and then you’ll get your ass into the bath. You reek like the others.”

“I could think of something else we can do to make me smell more like you and less like them,” Eren playfully nipped at Levi’s arm, biting just enough to pull out a little pain and then kissing the spot. “And something _way_ more fun than a bath.”

“For once, you can’t weasel your way out of a bath,” Levi ruffled Eren’s hair. “But don’t think I won’t have my fun with you after.”

“You better,” Eren murmured, falling right back asleep with a little smile on his face.

Levi decided he didn’t mind being quarantined with his mate whatsoever. In fact, it got his heart pounding with excitement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading!! <3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	21. Chapter 21

Mike strode into the kitchen with purpose and direction but slowed when he saw Levi in the kitchen as well. “Sir?” he asked tentatively, wondering if Levi had completely forgotten they were housing quite a few traumatized humans.

“Eren’s with Hange doing some tests and he’ll need to eat once they’re done,” Levi shortly explained, loading up a silver platter with apples, grapes, biscuits, and bottles of juice. Once he got what he wanted, he set the tray down on the counter and started cutting up the apples into rabbits like he usually did for Eren.

“Aren’t you supposed to stay upstairs?” Mike looked between Levi and the rest of the house, expecting one of the humans to spot the pureblood and scream at any moment. As it was midnight, he didn’t expect them to do anything other than sleep, but Mike wasn’t so sure about taking chances. They were all fragile and still recovering from what happened, and their comfort was a priority.

“It’s been a few days and Petra decided it’d be okay for them to slowly get used to my scent around the house. They’re humans and won’t really be able to tell, but their bodies will, and the changelings will notice too,” Levi reasoned with a level head. While Eren did tend to make the pureblood irrational at times, Levi always had a plan. Mike needed to remember to trust him more often than not. Eren did make Levi a little crazy, but that didn’t change the fact that Levi was still Levi.

“Ah. Is Eren okay, then?” Mike wouldn’t ask what sort of tests Hange was performing on the poor Omega, but he would make Eren wasn’t physically or mentally hurt somehow.

“He’s fine,” Levi replied, still focusing on cutting up the apples. Instead of using vampiric speed and dexterity, he did the task slowly. Mike assumed it was because Levi was nervous for some reason and attempting to waste time. The pureblood had plenty of reasons to be worried. He was a contributor in the destruction of their entire species’ government, Eren’s mother’s whereabouts were still unknown whether she was dead or alive, and he had plenty of new people living in his home to get used to. Still, Levi never seemed to show his anxiety unless it was over something important.

And, the most important thing to Levi was instinctually Eren.

“Is he?” Mike prodded just a little bit more.

“He’s happy and in one piece,” Levi reported, something more still hidden behind those thoughtful eyes.

Mike was about to pry for a tiny bit more but perked up when he heard one of the humans stirring behind them. His undead heart sped up to an unreal pace due to the shock and he spun around, ready to put himself between Levi and the startled human.

To his delight, it was Nanaba. Nanaba seemed to be the only one out of the bunch who didn’t mind vampires, having met Levi and Mike before. She smiled and gave a little wave. Levi simply nodded and took the tray to Hange’s lab, apparently unable to wait outside any longer. It left Mike and Nanaba alone together, but that was just fine in Mike’s opinion.

“What are you doing up at this hour?” he asked casually, sitting back against the counters. He first went to cross his arms but realized that gesture closed himself off from her. Instead, he leaned back and rested his elbows on the counter behind him.

“I got used to a nocturnal schedule living at Erwin’s,” she shrugged, staying in her spot across the kitchen from him. “And I don’t need to change that out of spite. I like being awake at night. It’s quieter.”

“That, it is,” Mike agreed.

“Changelings like you can be out in the sunlight, right?” Nanaba inquired, taking a tiny step forward. “Or no?”

“It’s uncomfortable, but not deadly,” Mike shrugged. “Though I can’t say I ever preferred the light in the first place. Even when I was human, I didn’t get out much.” He realized he was rambling and Mike _never_ rambled.

“What were you like before… this?” She took another step forward.

“I spent a lot of time with my grandmother. She adored vampires, thought they were akin to angels,” he answered shortly and efficiently as ever.

“Adoring vampires, hm? That was brave of her. There aren’t many people who could say they adore a vampire.”

“Back when things were run by tradition rather than modern government, many people found vampires fascinating and even a little romantic.”

“Romantic?” Nanaba was suddenly extremely interested. She closed the gap between them and sat on one of the bar stools next to Mike.

He went into a short explanation on how Alphas and Omegas worked and how their relationship was supposed to be sacred and beautiful. It wasn’t supposed to be like what she had endured, but rather the image of true love. By the end of it, her eyes seemed to sparkle, and she smiled. “Now I see why Eren and Levi are so close,” she hummed. “And why Armin and Erwin are so inseparable.” After a few seconds, her face scrunched up with more curiosity and Mike dared to find it cute. “Then why don’t all of the purebloods find someone like that instead of… feeding off of Omegas without turning them?”

“Greed, superiority…” Mike shrugged. “Some marked the Omegas when they were merely children, so they can form a familial relationship rather than a romantic one, which leaves less around to form the traditional Alpha-Omega bond.”

“That wouldn’t be so bad… though it would be weird to drink blood from a child,” Nanaba pondered over it.

“Probably a better relationship than a forced one,” Mike agreed. “Apparently, when it’s consensual, drinking blood doesn’t hurt so much.”

“Really?” Nanaba looked doubtful but dropped the subject. “So, how do you get your fix, then?”

“I eat food, like you, and when I need blood we purchase donations from blood banks. Since I’m not a pureblood, I can have type B blood which is common. I’m not a picky eater, either, so any blood will do.”

“You don’t drink it… from a person?” she tentatively asked.

“I don’t. A few changelings in this house do, but I don’t. It’s… an intimate occasion.”

She hummed and smirked a little, teasing, “And is Mr. Mike afraid of a little intimacy?” It wasn’t a sexual sort of teasing, but rather one that signaled she was opening up to him a little bit. A type of teasing that poked fun at his demeanor and inferred nothing further than that.

“Mr. Mike saves it for the right person,” Mike found himself grinning. He didn’t let the sillier side of himself out often, but it was worth it to make her smile.

* * *

Eren was growing restless. Beyond helping Hange with the new experiments on his new power to turn Type B blood into Type O, he wasn’t allowed to leave the bedroom. It sounded fun at first, especially when he was trapped with Levi, but the minute they started doing anything remotely _fun_ , they’d get abruptly alerted that Levi’s scent was too overpowering or they were too loud.

“Can you show me your magic tricks?” Eren asked Levi. He was sprawled out on the bed and flopped over to his stomach, so he could look at the pureblood with big, pleading eyes.

Levi sat in one of the armchairs by the window, reading a book that was so old it looked like it might crumble. “Magic tricks?” Levi didn’t even look up from the page.

“Your weird vampire magic. I want to see it. Once you made my clothes burn off with fire that didn’t hurt my skin. Another time you adjusted the size of your clothes, so they’d fit me. I want to see what else you can do.” Eren eagerly hopped up onto his knees, expressing his enthusiasm. “Maybe this time you can do something that doesn’t involve burning or re-sizing my underwear.”

“I could perform a magic trick that would take them off,” Levi suggested with a teasing smile, still not looking up from his book. Eren just returned the cheeky remark with a huff and finally, Levi put his book down and gave Eren the attention he’d been craving. “You really want to see what I can do?”

“Yes!” Eren beamed, excited to see what Levi had in store. To get the pureblood going, Eren smirked, “Everyone says you’re the most powerful, but I’m not so sure. I need to see it to believe it.”

“Brat,” Levi chuckled under his breath with an endearing smile. “I don’t think you could handle my full power.”

“I can handle _anything_ ,” Eren grinned confidently. “Even a shitty pureblood like you.”

“As one of the first of her creations, the Goddess gave me plenty of different powers that her demons also possess. Other powers, I picked up from less fortunate purebloods like the fire I can create and object manipulation. I haven’t used my own powers in a long time.”

Eren wasn’t going to ask about how Levi _picked up_ powers from others, but knew he’d come back to it later. He figured it was a gruesome task and didn’t want to deal with any violent discussions in their safe and happy bedroom. Instead, his curiosity settled elsewhere. “Your own powers? What are they?”

‘You’ve seen my other form,” Levi pointed out. “And you know about the basic things like speed, memorization, strength…”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Eren nodded along, waiting for the good parts. He wanted to know more of the unknowns. Levi was one of the few people he wanted to know inside and out. The last thing he wanted were secrets between them. There was still a lot to learn about his mate, but magical powers were high on Eren’s priority list.

He blinked, and Levi was gone. Eren’s entire face scrunched up, wondering what the hell had happened to his mate. Was he invisible? Did he morph into a bug? Eren whipped around to find that Levi was right behind him with a smug look on his face. “What… was that?”

“Teleportation,” Levi shrugged. “That’s the power she gave me, because it was her favorite. The rest I stole from others.”

“That’s way too powerful for your own good,” Eren uttered, secretly jealous.

“You’ll figure out how to do it too, eventually.”

“Wait… Seriously!?” Eren’s entire demeanor shifted. “Teach me now!”

With a deep chuckle, Levi ruffled Eren’s hair and shook his head. “It’s something you’ll work up to, not something to attain straight away.”

“So why do you even bother walking when you could just teleport everywhere?”

“Like everything, it takes a lot of energy. I haven’t been drinking a lot of blood over the years, so it takes a lot out of me when I do it. Now that we’ve gotten into a feeding routine, I’ll be able to more often. Which reminds me…”

With a great swoop, Levi whisked Eren off his feet and to the bed. They landed on top of one another in a fit of surprised giggles. Levi sat with his back to the headboard with Eren on his lap, face-to-face. Like always, Levi put a gentle hand behind Eren’s head and pulled his mate’s lips to his neck.

“You’re so insistent,” Eren muttered against Levi’s flesh. With supernatural healing, only one set of bitemarks were scarred into his mate’s flesh, the ones Eren put there after the disaster at the Reiss chateau. Secretly, Eren wished he could litter Levi’s entire neck with his markings. His stomach grumbled, as if his body knew what was coming, but Eren wanted to have a little fun first. He held onto Levi’s shoulders and kissed at the pureblood’s neck gently.

“ _Eren_ ,” Levi warned, knowing exactly what the Omega was up to.

Eren hummed in response but didn’t stop the myriad of kisses he was dotting Levi’s neck with. Levi’s skin was warm, smooth, and soft as ever and felt lovely against Eren’s lips. Not only did Levi’s neck feed wonderful, but the scent was calling to Eren like a siren. It filled his entire world with warm spices and his head started to feel light. He knew if he tried to move away from Levi, his world would start to spin with dizzying nausea. There was nothing to worry about, though, because Eren definitely wasn’t going anywhere and neither was Levi.

His kisses started to move up Levi’s neck and down around his jawline. Levi tilted his chin up so Eren could better kiss every little inch before moving on to his mate’s lips. When he expected a little resistance, Eren got none. Levi opened right up to him, taking in Levi’s lips between his own and returning passionate kisses one by one. Eren’s hands came up to cup the sides of Levi’s face and his hips started to slowly roll to grind his growing erection against Levi’s stomach.

He never knew much about sex before meeting Levi. In the past, he’d experimented of course but usually only in the shower where his mother wouldn’t see him. After meeting Levi, though, Eren found himself addicted. It was as though he needed to make up for missed time. Not only was Levi sexy enough to ruin anyone else for Eren, his scent was intoxicating and only strengthened Eren’s need for touch.

Levi’s phone started buzzing and the pureblood let out a breath he’d been holding in. “ _Fuck,_ ” he cursed in disappointment, grabbing the phone and answering it with a bite in his tone. “Yes?”

Eren could hear Petra on the other line, probably calling from downstairs. “Can’t you just hold off for a few more days? They may be humans, but they can _literally_ smell you two. It’s _that_ bad. Levi, your powers are making the whole house shake a little.”

At that moment, Eren did realize the slight rumbling below them and just how potent their scents were mingling together. He guessed the air conditioning was causing it to flow throughout the house. It looked like their combined sexual frustration was wreaking havoc over the entire house.

“Sorry,” Levi sighed, hanging up without another word. It might have been rude, but the two of them were both painfully blue-balled yet again. After a few seconds of thought, Levi suggested, “How about you eat and I’ll tell you a story while you do?”

“Yeah,” Eren collapsed back into his spot and rested his chin on Levi’s shoulder while eyeing the spot he usually fed from.

“What do you want to hear about?”

“Anything about you. Tell me about when you were changed into a vampire.” Eren still craved to know everything about Levi. Their temporary abstinence actually was a blessing in disguise, giving them time to talk about their lives rather than get lost in lustful desires. He bit into Levi’s neck and waited for Levi to begin the story, sucking lightly to prolong the experience. While they couldn’t have sex, he _could_ feed off of Levi which was just as intimate.

“It was late at night. At the time, I was somewhere in my twenties, I don’t remember. My uncle had taught me the key to survival and I worked with him for a few months as a hitman and a thief. My parents didn’t know. They were too ill to even leave the house, practically dead already. As long as I brought them food and kept a roof over their head, they’d never question how I did it. It was at the peak of the plague when she came, the Goddess. By then, I’d started to fall ill as well. She healed me because I’d sinned enough to deserve a demonic life of immortality. My parents, however, didn’t.”

Eren hummed and pulled away. “Sorry,” he whispered. He knew what it was like to lose a parent and knew he’d carry that pain with him throughout years. Even though Levi had plenty of time to heal, Eren knew that pain probably never fully went away.

“It’s fine, love,” Levi softly said, pushing Eren back to his neck. “While I lost plenty of those whom I loved, I got a few along the way that I get to keep.”

Eren drank some more until the puncture wounds closed up and he licked away the remains smeared across Levi’s neck. He smiled against Levi’s skin and hoped to lighten the mood. “Are you going to keep me?”

“Of course I’m keeping you,” Levi responded right away. He added in an even softer tone, proving his sincerity, “Wouldn’t let anything or anyone steal you away either.”

* * *

“I swear, I’m going to murder those two. I don’t care if they’re undead, I’m going to _end_ them,” Petra hissed in frustration. She’d had to shut them down numerous times that day due to their vampiric scents freaking everyone out and Levi’s outrageously powerful magic ruining everything. She knew they were getting bored and restless, but couldn’t they think of something _else_ to do? Perhaps it was jealousy over the fact that she didn’t have anyone to have ‘I’m bored’ sex with, but she didn’t ponder over that fact for long.

The humans were all adapting well with the help of Hange and Moblit’s therapy sessions and the changelings’ distance. Gunther and Eld took Oluo under their wing and kept him busy, getting him more and more comfortable with their way of life. Ymir stuck around Historia like glue and Petra started to guess that their relationship was a little more than platonic. The rest of the humans were becoming friends with one another and it was beautiful to see.

Sasha came out of her shell the most, helping Petra cook and stuffing her face with anything she could find. She even dared to steal some of Hange’s food but made up for the misdeed by baking a delicious cobbler for them all to share.

“We weren’t allowed to talk much before,” Sasha divulged to Petra while the two of them fixed a late dinner together. “Or eat. That’s why we really don’t know each other that well. It’s really nice to be able to hang out with everyone like friends.”

“So… you’re liking it here?” Petra asked, hope thick in her voice.

Sasha looked up from the pasta salad she was stirring with the brightest smile. “Yes!” She was about to say more, but a new presence had her freezing in her spot. Petra glanced over to see Eren tip-toing his way toward the fridge.

“Hold it, mister,” Petra glared at him. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Getting a snack?” Eren squeaked, caught red-handed and looking guilty as hell. With a pout, he whined, “You all get to have so much fun together and I just wanted a little peek.”

“Wait!” Sasha burst, dropping her spoon into the pasta salad. “ _You’re_ Eren!”

“Yeah,” Eren smiled at her and gave her a toothy, silly grin. “And you’re…?”

“Sasha! I heard you’re with a pureblood and are actually happy… Like Armin and Erwin.”

“I am,” Eren nodded enthusiastically as ever. “Happier than I’ve ever been, I think.”

She looked at him like a spectacle and it was amusing to see how well they got along together. Just like that, Eren was watching Sasha cook all sorts of things. Apparently, she had learned it from her family before getting taken away. Eren, someone who hadn’t tried many different foods, marveled at her ability and begged for her to make tons of stuff for him to try. She happily accepted the offer and the two got along better than Petra could have ever imagined.

Perhaps it’d be okay to introduce Eren to the others. And, after that, Levi. Petra hated the divide, but knew it was better off for everyone to start small. With Eren’s bright and sunny nature, it would help quell any worries over Levi.

Then, Connie rushed in with a frisbee under his arm. “Hey, Sasha! We need one more! We wanted to get a few more games in before it gets too late. Night-frisbee is fun, look! It glows in the dark!” He held up the glowing plastic disc with a smile.

“I’m busy,” she held up the spoon with batter dripping off of it and onto the counter. “But… Eren’s free.”

Connie gave a strange look to Eren, one of caution and uncertainty. It faded quickly though, passing over his face for just a few moments before a shy smile took over. “As long as you think you can cut it, you could join in.”

Petra laughed at the pure elation on Eren’s face as he swore he’d make for a great team player and raced out to the backyard to join in the fun.

An hour later, Eren was _still_ out with the other humans. He hit it off extremely well and it had Petra smirking with an idea that Levi was still waiting up for his Omega to come back, so she abandoned the kitchen to check up on Levi.

While she expected him to be sulking impatiently, she walked into the pureblood’s bedroom to a curious scene. Levi was perched at his window and to watch over the backyard.

“Isn’t that a little creepy?” she mused, coming up next to him to look out as well. All of the humans were playing around like kids, throwing frisbees and pushing each other into the pool. All of them were soaked and smiling under the light of the moon and the various backyard lights making the scene brighter.

“Not at all,” Levi replied, but didn’t break away from his spot. “Look how much fun he’s having. They all look… carefree.”

“That they do,” she hummed. “Getting along just fine.”

“It’s good that he has friends that are like him,” Levi mumbled, pulling away from the shades. Perhaps he realized how creepy he was. If a human noticed the ominous face peering at them from above, they’d probably freak out.  

Petra grabbed his cellphone from the bedside table and tapped a few times until she could find the home security app. She pulled up the security camera footage of the backyard and handed it to Levi with a smile. “Scare-free watching,” she giggled. “Now you can be creepy without ruining that sparkling reputation of yours.”

“I’m not creepy,” Levi grumbled, taking the phone in a flash and gluing his eyes to the little screen. “What if something happens to them?”

“Okay, you’re not being creepy. You’re being a mother hen,” Petra amended with another mouthful of giggles.

“I’ve got a bad feeling that something is coming,” Levi mumbled. There was plenty behind the warning that Petra didn’t know, probably something that involved Eren’s frequent visits to see Hange and Moblit or something that involved what kept Mike busy as hell.

“What kind of something?” she asked lowly, afraid of what she’d hear.

“I’m afraid, multiple somethings perhaps all at the same time,” he kept his eyes on the phone. Petra felt his vampiric magic radiating throughout the room, as if the carpet were vibrating under Levi’s stress.

“It’ll be okay,” she tried to assure, but knew better than to touch him. Levi’s phone screen cracked under pressure and she could hear the house around her creaking and threatening to break. “We’ll stick together like we always do.” She walked toward the door and sighed, unable to leave her friend in such a gloomy state. “Want to meet the humans tomorrow? Eren buttered them up for you without even trying. After that, they might grow accustomed to your scent enough so you and Eren can… relieve that stress building up between you.”

The house stopped rumbling. Levi didn’t need to respond as Petra walked back down to the kitchen with a satisfied smirk on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading <3<3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	22. Chapter 22

The silence amongst them was deafening and, of course, uncomfortable. Levi stood before the little group of humans and the two new changelings with Eren at his side and the rest of his family behind him. There was a mix of curiosity and fear painted across the humans’ faces. The new changelings averted their eyes, still conditioned into behaviors of servitude. One particular human, Mikasa, seemed more interested in Eren than anything else as her eyes followed his movements while ignoring Levi altogether.

“I have no intentions of taking your blood or harming you in any way,” he reiterated for the third time after getting no real responses. “I just want to offer you a home where you can feel safe and a family that you can trust.” For further emphasis in an attempt to get _some_ kind of reaction or response from them, he poked Eren’s temple. “This one is the only person I’ll _ever_ take any blood from and he’s okay with it. Right?”

“Right,” Eren nodded enthusiastically, his scent growing needy at the mere thought of feeding. It had Levi’s heart throbbing. Lately, Levi insisted on Eren feeding from him as often as possible without much reciprocation. It was something intimate they could do without getting too out of control. He wanted Eren to be healthy and to gain as much strength and power as possible. Eren needed to be able to fight and defend himself at all costs, especially with the constant feeling of threat Levi endured. He knew Eren _could_ fight, that was certain, but he needed to know that his mate could slaughter if danger were upon him and Levi was somehow incapacitated. If Eren could learn how to teleport like Levi used to be able to do, Levi’s worries would quell immensely. It was a skill that took a lot of strength, though, so he’d continue to coax Eren into drinking as much blood as possible.

The looks of apprehension were still thick on their faces, and Levi figured they would be for a while. They were just like Eren when he first arrived: hurt, confused, and afraid. Some of them were left unconscious for undetermined amounts of time, strapped to a medical table and used like a blood-producing factory. Others were used in the most unsavory ways, dehumanized and demoralized, like living toys. Levi knew what the purebloods were capable of. They’d lived so long that they forgot their own humanity. Humans became disposable, utilized only for blood.

Still, he couldn’t help but feel impressed and a bit proud. Even after enduring so much pain, the humans stood strongly. He got to see them smile while playing with Eren the previous night. He got to see them flourish, finding new strengths one day at a time. Finally, he got to see it all in person rather than just stories from Petra, Hange, and Eren.

Levi glanced at Eren to see that his mate’s face was scrunched up oddly, as if he were thinking. The silence was still heavy and awkward, but Levi wasn’t affected by that sort of thing. Eren, however, seemed a little upset.

“You can trust him,” Eren blurted out to their fearful audience. “I didn’t at first either. I even stabbed him with a fork and he didn’t even get mad.”

Connie and Sasha both snorted at that, their faces lightening up a little. It was like a miracle to witness.

“He’s practically a human. Once he even ate a curly fry and I watched him hurl it up a few seconds later. It was gross but hilarious.”

Oluo and Ymir glanced up and actually looked at them instead of averting their eyes.

“He’s a big sap, too. I caught him crying when we were watching a movie about a dog.”

All the humans were cracking smiles and giggles at that point.

Farlan must have decided it was his turn to embarrass Levi in front of their new housemates. “If he ever pisses you off, he gets freaked out by mold. Just let something go moldy and chase him around the house with it.”

“Oh! Or sneak into his room and rearrange his clothes or something!” Hange added with a huge smile.

“Wait, _you’re_ the one who’s been rearranging my sock drawer?” he burst, spinning around to face the culprit.

“You’re stingy with blood samples. Get over it and let me take some from you and Eren already,” they pouted.

“He nearly fainted after the first time you took his blood so that will _never_ happen again,” Levi warned.

“His biggest weakness is Eren,” Mike suddenly told the humans and new changelings. When Levi looked at him with questioning eyes, Mike just shrugged. “I figured knowing your biggest weakness would make them comfortable. It makes you seem more human.”

To Levi’s surprise, everyone seemed much more at ease after that too. The embarrassing stories and revealing his true colors helped them relax. For the first time, Levi truly felt as though they were becoming a family. When he’d be certain to ream Hange and Farlan later for their own part in the chaos, but firstly he wanted to reward Eren for starting it all.

But before he could even kiss his mate, Eren was rushing after the humans to play outside again. It was the beginning of the night and there were still a few free hours before the humans went to bed for the evening.

Farlan snorted and patted Levi on the back. “Looks like he’s got some new friends. I guess you’ll have to start sharing from now on.”

Levi just gave him an annoyed glare and shuffled outside to oversee the kids. The others joined him and all lounged around on the patio furniture, chatting and laughing while watching the humans toss around a frisbee. With his vampiric powers, it was the humans versus Eren. Even though Eren didn’t have the perception that he had changed at all, compared to the humans he finally realized his enhanced speed and strength. He ran back and forth like a puppy, catching everything they threw at him and tossing it right back. When he got too excited, he’d throw one a bit too far that had it flying out into the fields around Levi’s house or so hard that it _thunked_ into the lawn and got stuck in the soil. For extra fun, they started tossing the frisbees up high into the air to see how high Eren could jump to catch them.

“He really is like a puppy,” Farlan laughed when Eren laughed with glee every time he caught one of the high throws.

“Okay, let’s actually make it a challenge. I want to see how high he can really go.” Ymir rolled up her sleeves and plucked one of the bright red discs out from the lawn. After shaking the dirt off, she aimed high up into the night sky and gave it a hard toss. Eren started awkwardly running backwards to aim his jump with his mouth wide open.

 _Fuck, he really is like a dog,_ Levi internally groaned. Here he had thought he was a cat person.

With one mighty leap, Eren bounced up into the air. With vampiric strength, he’d managed to get himself up pretty high before. This time, however, was different. Eren flew up into the air so high that his body started to flail awkwardly. He lost his airborne balance and yelped when he found out he wouldn’t be able to land on his feet.

Levi stood from his chair so fast, the chair knocked over behind him. He ran out to where Eren had leapt from and surveyed the area with his arms out and ready. Eren fell like a brick, hard and fast, directly into Levi’s waiting arms. The red frisbee fell too, directly onto Eren’s head and bounced off into his lap.

“Caught it,” he smiled cheekily up to Levi and back to the other humans.

“Idiot,” Levi huffed in relief. Eren wouldn’t have gotten seriously hurt from falling. It wasn’t like his little mate could die from that. Still, Levi couldn’t stop himself from reacting.

Eren just giggled and wiggled his way back to his own two feet to toss the disc back. It looked like he had worn out the rest of the humans as they yawned and set all the frisbees back into the box they’d come from.

“I think we better head in for some popcorn and a movie,” Petra suggested. With that, everyone gathered back inside and huddled into the den where there were the most couches and the biggest television.

Levi helped Petra gather up the snacks and beverages, figuring he’d still try to keep his distance as much as he could.

“I think it’s going really well,” she hummed happily. “Pretty soon, it’ll all seem normal and we’ll have a bigger family.”

Little did Petra know, things _weren’t_ normal. There were plenty of things that were still brewing darkly or entirely unexplained. Eren’s mother’s whereabouts were still unknown, as was his new power to turn blood types with a bite. The repercussions from the murders of Kenny, Rod, and Uri still awaited them. Their society was going to drastically change in a matter of time, and Levi wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing.

But there was something sinfully sweet in relishing in the simpler, happier moments. As Levi let himself into the den where the others were waiting, he couldn’t help but smile when they didn’t cringe or look away. Instead, they were smiling and thanking him for the food.

“Levi,” Eren grabbed his sleeve once he was done distributing bowls of popcorn and yanked him onto the loveseat. “Sit with me,” his Omega demanded, pulling until Levi fell into the sofa.

The room filled up to the point it seemed crowded. For the first time ever, the entire household was in one place at one time. Even Isabel came over as she did every night, sitting on Farlan’s lap on the floor and gushing about how great it was that there were so many more people around.

“This is fun,” Eren whispered with the biggest smile. “They seem to really like you now.”

“Only because of you,” Levi softly replied, keeping their voices low enough so no one else would hear. It was true, Eren was the gateway to forming a bond with the humans and Levi appreciated it. Without Eren, he figured they’d never even attempt to form any kind of bond with him.

The movie passed by in an instant, Levi hadn’t paid much attention. He was focused on how happy Eren was and the blissful scents he exuded. He watched the other humans and new changelings, trying to get a silent read on their personalities. Some were easy to read like Sasha, Connie, and Oluo. Others were much more reserved like Historia and Ymir. Most of all, Levi was interested in Mikasa and why the hell she was grouped in with the rest. She didn’t have Type O or A blood. She didn’t seem out of the ordinary beyond a pretty face. Everything about her was like a secret that she definitely wouldn’t be telling Levi. But by the way she stared at Eren rather than the movie, perhaps she’d end up divulging to him.

Once the movie was over, Petra escorted them all to their bedtime routines. She and Hange decided it’d be best to form a routine to help them feel comfortable, slowly branching out and giving more and more freedom as they found more independence.

As adorable as it was for Eren to seem a little disappointed that his time with his new friends was up, Levi was happy to haul him back to their sanctuary of a bedroom and get him to drink some more blood.

“Again?” Eren cocked his head in wonder once they got to their room. He didn’t seem upset, just genuinely perplexed. “I’m not hungry or anything.”

“I know.” Levi tore off his shirt and pants until he was left in just his underwear. He got himself adjusted in bed with his back against the headboard, coaxing Eren to join him like they usually did. “You’re still growing.” He didn’t want to admit that he was afraid for his mate’s safety. Eren could definitely help himself, he proved that time and time again. It wasn’t that Levi thought Eren was insufficient or unable to protect himself, Levi just wanted the peace of mind that Eren was in optimum condition. It was one of the few things he could to do ease his own worries, and Eren never seemed to mind.

Instead of falling into Levi’s lap, though, Eren slowly crawled up from the foot of the bed and between Levi’s legs. He leaned down to brush his nose against Levi’s thighs, up and up until Levi was reaching down to thread fingers through Eren’s hair. Instead of scouting out Levi’s obvious, growing erection, however, Eren was eyeing the thick, purple vein running down the inside of Levi’s right thigh.

In a surprising fit of dominance, Eren sat up, hooked his arms through Levi’s knees, and pulled up until he could brush his lips against that vein. Levi ended up bent in half and hopelessly aroused. For once, _he_ felt like the prey and it was a refreshing emotion that he hadn’t experienced in decades.

There were no hesitant looks of permission or restrained will. Eren bit right into Levi’s bare thigh, breaking through perfect flesh and drawing out deep, dark blood. It spilled from the wounds eagerly, dripping down Levi’s thigh as it escaped through Eren’s lips. Only a little got out, though, as Eren was careful in making sure nothing else left his capture.

It left Levi feeling vulnerable, but open. He felt oddly secure in Eren’s hold, even though he’d never experienced a feeling of submission in any shape or form. For Eren, it felt right. He’d give Eren anything.

Bloodlust turned into something more like lust and a hunger for touch as Levi watched darkness fleck across Eren’s usually bright eyes. When Eren finished drinking, he pulled away slowly and licked up any remaining blood off of Levi’s thighs. The greedily laps drew closer and closer to the apex of Levi’s thighs, ending when Eren’s lips hit the hem of Levi’s boxer briefs. With one beautiful swoop, Eren grabbed at the waistband and pulled back, slipping backward on the blankets until Levi was left bare beneath him.

And, what made Levi crack a smile, was the blank look on Eren’s face after that. As Eren gazed down at his erection, a thick and heavy blush crept up from his neck to his cheeks lighting his astonished face in a beautiful shade of red, one prettier than blood.

“Well, that was dramatic,” Levi teased lowly, making sure not to totally break the beautiful mood his mate had set up.

“S-shut up,” Eren glared, shaking his head a little to break himself out of his bashfulness. “You normally… take control.”

“Usually, I do. I like this too, though,” Levi stretched out a little more, waiting for Eren to continue. It was quickly becoming something he’d grown fond of. It was especially nice seeing his Omega a bit flustered.

Eren straightened up and adjusted his expression to one of bemusement rather than shyness. “So you’re not going to get _so_ turned on that you take over like you usually do?”

“I can control myself,” Levi smirked.

“I _really_ doubt that,” Eren shot back, shucking off his t-shirt and pants with growing speed and fervor. He was slowly getting used to his quick reflexes and inhuman speed, which made things much more efficient. It also helped Levi realize that Eren was truly growing into his new vampiric skin faster than expected.

Without as many clothes in the way, Levi could _smell_ the need running through Eren’s veins. That overly sweet apple flavor washed over his tongue even though he’d merely caught a whiff of Eren’s pheromones. He could only imagine the potency of actually tasting Eren’s skin for himself rather than just catching it in the air. Eren wore the smuggest smile while kneeling between Levi’s legs, as if he knew what his scent was doing to the pureblood.

Eagerness got the best of him as Levi casually let his hand wander up Eren’s thigh to his hip where the last piece of fabric blocked the inevitable. Tiny little flames danced up the cloth, crawling and spreading over the underwear until there was nothing left but bare skin. Neither one of them said a thing as the harmless fire devoured the fabric until it was finally gone.

“See? You can’t control yourself,” Eren snickered.

“Neither can you,” Levi retorted, smelling the slick already dripping down Eren’s thighs. The comment brought that blush right back up to his lover’s cheeks, but it didn’t stop Eren from continuing. If anything, it spurred him on. It was the farthest they’d gotten into anything remotely intimate since the new house guests arrived and he doubted either of them planned on stopping, even if Petra burst into the room to scold them.

Levi pulled Eren forward into a kiss. With his lover on all fours on top of him, it was easy to let his hands wander around the backs of Eren’s thighs, slowly moving upward until gripping onto Eren’s ass. Soft, supple skin under Levi’s cold fingers made his entire body want to melt into the mattress. He’d missed actually _touching_ Eren and feeling his perfect form. By the way Eren hummed into their deep, slow kisses, he had missed it too.

Eren pushed his backside deeper into Levi’s hands and the pureblood took the hint. He slipped his index between Eren’s ass cheeks and stoked over Eren’s waiting pucker a few times before slowly inserting his finger. Eren’s pleased hums turned into dirty moans as he pushed back to fuck himself on Levi’s finger. It obviously wasn’t enough as Eren whined into their kisses. He didn’t have to say it, Levi was ready to please his mate and added another finger alongside the other.

As an Omega, Eren didn’t take long to prepare which was a godsend in the moment. Even though they literally had all the time in the world, neither wanted to waste a second.

Levi pulled his hands back to Eren’s hips, gracing over his mate’s sides and finally settling back down on Eren’s hips. The touch had Eren shivering, either from ticklish pleasure or anticipation, Levi wasn’t sure which. Their lips still wouldn’t part, and Levi didn’t want them to, but Eren pulled away to readjust himself.

Poised with his ass hovering above Levi’s dick, Eren slowly lowered himself while holding his breath until sitting fully on Levi’s lap. With an exhale, he smiled, and Levi died (again). That breathtaking grin of pure happiness always took Levi’s breath away.

Following suit with the theme of taking dominance in the bedroom, Eren didn’t wait for Levi’s guidance. Instead, he slowly pushed himself up and down until finding a steady rhythm. It left Levi loosely holding onto Eren’s hips and spending all his energies on _feeling_ Eren.

The hotness of Eren’s core had waves of tingling pleasure crashing up through Levi’s body. It took some restraint to not fuck up into Eren and instead letting his mate choose the steady, slow pace.

“Levi,” Eren panted, hands gripping at Levi’s forearms for something to hold onto while his legs did the work of pushing him up and down. After making a few little movements back and forth, he seemed to find the perfect angle that made the most beautiful moan break through breathless gasping.

It truly broke down the last of Levi’s resolve. He gripped onto Eren’s hips _hard_ and thrust his own hips up into his mate. Eren’s body relaxed into Levi’s hold and let the pureblood take over. It was Eren’s turn to get lost in the sensations, focusing only on feeling rather than doing all the work himself.

The cheeky bastard just couldn’t help himself though and let out a breathy laugh. “I knew you’d do that.”

Levi had to laugh too, and it was something he found oddly charming. He’d never known anyone else that could turn him on like nothing else, but also make him laugh at the same time without breaking the mood or making things awkward. It was just another thing he loved about Eren. He was so astonishingly comfortable with his mate that they could tease, make love, giggle, and be themselves all at the same time. It made Levi want to show Eren more of himself, something he usually wasn’t usually apt to do. Opening up definitely wasn’t a strength Levi possessed, but it was something he wanted to do for Eren.

He wanted to talk about the better things he’d experienced in life, but also the darker things too. He wanted Eren to see him for the monster he was and the man that he came out to be. There were plenty of things he didn’t know about Eren either and craved the information more than anything.

 “I love you,” Levi said, unable to think of anything else that could convey the panging ache in his chest. He loved Eren so much that it hurt. His heart was a useless thing, physically, but the way Eren made it jolt with pure emotion had Levi thinking that he was actually _alive._

“I love you,” Eren repeated in his daze, almost sounding drunk by the way his words slurred together in the heat of the moment. He threw his head back in ecstasy and his hand flew to his own erection, pumping quickly. It told Levi that his mate was close, and he sped up his pace just a little bit more.

Watching Eren lose himself had Levi close too, and when Eren came with white hot spurts of come shooting up onto Eren’s belly and dripped down hot skin, Levi lost it too. It was faster than expected, but still felt as amazing as ever.

After washing up and falling back into bed, Levi watched as Eren’s eyes grew heavier and heavier while they exchanged sweet nothings like a couple of fools in love. When Eren finally did fall asleep, it was hard to look away. Levi hadn’t been so close to another being in so long, he had issues figuring out his own feelings and how to cope with the unsurmountable affection he had for the human lying next to him.

“I never want to lose you. Ever,” Levi whispered quietly, as if Eren would hear him. “Even if you run away, I’ll find you,” he added. Perhaps it was a little creepy, but it was true. The biting anxiety that had accompanied him for days had him on edge. Tension was heavy in the air. After all that had been done, he knew _something_ was about to happen, but he didn’t know what. Swallowing the unease and saving it for another day, he finally let his eyes fall shut. He’d sleep soundly as long as Eren was safe in his arms, right where he belonged.

 

 _“Levi?”_ The voice woke him up instantly. Levi’s eyes flashed open to see Eren in the darkness, staring at him with wide, fearful eyes. “Levi!” Eren yelled out, even though they were mere inches apart.

Levi tightened his hold on his mate and started stroking his hair in a frantic attempt at comfort. “It’s fine, what’s going on?”

“I don’t want to go,” Eren whispered, crying.

“Go?” Levi scrunched his face up, wondering what the hell was going on. Had it been a nightmare? He knew Eren had them from time to time, vivid ones that seemed to truly shake the Omega.

“I don’t want to leave you,” he repeated. Eren’s entire body was tense and shaking. The tone of his voice displayed sheer panic.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s…” Levi blinked a few times to get the sleep out of his eyes and went to pet Eren’s hair some more. His hand fell to the air. Levi’s eyes adjusted to the darkness, and Eren was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading <3 I truly appreciate your comments, kudos, bookmarks, ect! I'm sorry I haven't been replying to them for the longest time, I get so nervous- you're all so sweet!! <3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	23. Chapter 23

A jolt of fear had Eren blinking rapidly to adjust to his new surroundings. He couldn’t stop wondering what had happened until he realized. “I _teleported_!” Eren whispered in awe, looking down at his hands to make sure they were indeed real and that he wasn’t some kind of phantom. He’d yearned to inherit Levi’s power of teleportation and without even realizing it, he had done it!

The next question, though, was where he had ended up. The circular room was dimly lit with candles to reveal deep red carpet, a lavish bed that Eren was sitting in, and several bookshelves stuffed with musty and dusty looking novels. It all looked quite gothic, like what a true vampire’s lair should have looked like. There was a single, closed door and tons of drapes to block out the light. It was a place Eren had never been to before, and a place that struck fear into his heart.

Eren squeezed his eyes shut and repeated in his head: _Teleport back home. I want to go home. I want to go back to Levi. Take me back home. Teleport back home. Home. Home. Home._

He peeked open to see that he had not moved at all, and he was still trapped in the strange room. In exasperation he grabbed the nearest pillow and stuffed his face into it, unsure of whether to cry or scream. And then, footsteps were approaching from outside the door. Unsure of what else to do, Eren grabbed the nearest ‘weapon’ he could find, a golden candelabra. The three lit candles that were fit snug into each prong helped light the face of the intruder, but once Eren saw who it was he gasped and reeled back.

“Mom,” he whispered, unsure of whether he was in a dream or reality. She looked exactly the same with beautiful, soft green eyes and brown hair. The sheer look of relief on her face had Eren setting the candelabra back on the little table by the bed so he could stand and see her fully.

Was it some kind of sick joke? Was it some kind of horrible magic? After what he’d been through, there was no telling what was true and what wasn’t. She had _died_ , hadn’t she? His hand was itching for that candelabra again, unsure of whether he could truly believe that she stood before him unharmed.

“Eren,” she softly spoke back, raising up her hands as she sensed his fear. “Eren, honey, it’s me. Really.”

“I don’t…” Eren started, but he didn’t know what to finish with. Understand? Believe? Know what the hell to make of the situation? He had missed her so much, though, it was hard to stay in his spot. As fearful as he was, he wanted to rush up and hug her and believe that she was truly alive.

“Can we sit down together?” she asked. It was a reasonable request. Eren sat back down and scooted over on the bed so she’d have a place to sit. As she got closer, he realized how she looked exactly the same as always, but better. She didn’t wear her same old dress that was torn in dozens of places, instead wearing a fancier gown made of black chiffon and silk. It hugged her perfect figure and made her look like some kind of dark angel. Instead of looking as ill as she used to, she looked healthy with lightly flushed cheeks and a beautiful smile.

She sat next to him but kept a few inches of distance for his comfort. “There are a lot of things you don’t know, Eren, and I want to explain them to you truthfully.” She folded her hands in her lap and looked toward the floor. “I didn’t completely die the day they took you away from me.”

“Obviously,” Eren couldn’t help himself from saying, still stunned to be in her presence. Still, he had to be cautious.

She wasn’t fazed by his shortness. In fact, it seemed as though she expected it. “I haven’t been completely true regarding who I am, other than your mother.”

Eren didn’t say anything in reply, patiently waiting for her to explain herself.

“I kept you locked away to keep you safe, not just because of your blood but because of who you are too. I didn’t want you to get turned into the thing I despise most. I didn’t want them to take you away from me. You were… you are my _everything_ , all I had left,” she slowly, quietly explained while still staring at the ground as if she were ashamed. “I gave up my entire being for _you_ , Eren, and I never regret a second of that.”

“Your entire being?” The words didn’t make sense to Eren whatsoever.

“Eren, I know this will be a lot to handle,” she said even slower, as if he were a frightened animal. “After that fire, I was reborn. You know, like those phoenixes that used to be in the stories I told you when you were little.”

“How?” Eren’s brows scrunched together in disbelief.

“Because I’m the Goddess of Death.”

* * *

“We need to find him _now_! He couldn’t have teleported far!” Levi hissed to his changelings, his voice unknowingly demanding and dominating. The entire house shook under his anxious power, but Levi didn’t realize it at all. He was all bristling, beastly emotion with very little logic laced through it. In his panic, he’d changed into his true form and flew around his own estate like a lunatic. Morning was on its way, and Eren couldn’t be out in the sun. If his mate were wandering outdoors, he was in imminent danger.

Levi started by flying around the pastures and forests near his home, calling and screeching out Eren’s name like a banshee with no luck. Petra, Hange, and Moblit searched their home while the changelings moved on to the local area. Farlan took his car to the nearest town. Mike took the SUV to search on the back roads. Gunter and Eld stayed behind just in case Eren found his way back home while everyone else was out, and to protect their home as well.

All bases seemed to be covered, but that didn’t cease Levi’s fiercely beating heart. Eren was the only one who could make it do that, usually in good and warm ways. The panic Levi suffered was like torture all over again, except worse than anything he’d ever endured before. He didn’t know where Eren was and couldn’t even teleport himself to search any faster. With the lack of blood that he’d put himself through, he couldn’t do anything but whip around in the skies like a hopeless tornado.

Dawn was upon them like an evil bitch, rising up from the horizon and forcing the undead to retreat into the shadows. Levi defied her, continuing his search in her wake, only to end up burning his wings and fleeing back home like a dog with its tail between its legs. His wings would heal, but his heart wouldn’t if he couldn’t find Eren.

“Where the hell could he have gone?” Levi roared when he got back to the foyer where Petra was waiting to tell him that they had no luck either. It was a beastly noise, one that made even Petra step back.

“You said he just vanished?”

“Teleported. I used to be able to do it too,” Levi clarified, pinching the bridge of his nose in a weak attempt to collect himself. “He inherited the power from me and unknowingly teleported from my arms to somewhere… unknown.” He growled out the last bit, cursing the place that stole Eren away from him.

“Could he have ended up somewhere random? Or would it be a place of significance?” she quizzed him, rationally getting to the bottom of where Eren could possibly be. It was what Levi needed most, a logical voice in the midst of his fury.

“In order to teleport, you need to have an idea of where you want to go. It needs to hold something of value, something you want. For his first time teleporting, it would have to be something extremely meaningful, especially for him to do it without even realizing what was going on.”

“What’s the thing he wants most in the world, then?”

“I gave him everything he could ever want,” Levi hissed, unable to control the anger in his tone. Petra didn’t deserve it, but he truly couldn’t help it. “I offer him the world. He knew he could ask me for whatever he desired, and I’d provide it without hesitation.”

Petra looked at the ground as if she were afraid to say what she needed to say. Still, like the strong woman she was, she said it. “You couldn’t give him his mother.”

It hit Levi hard in both a good and horrible way. The good part was that Petra had been completely right and that Eren was probably with his mother. The horrible part was that Levi didn’t know her whereabouts or even that she was still alive. He knew virtually nothing about Eren’s mother and no matter how hard he dug or tried, no new information came. All he found was that her name was Carla Jaeger, but for all he knew that could have been a fake name to help her hide Eren from the other humans. For all he knew, she could have skipped the country with Eren.

“If he can teleport to the thing he wants most, can you?” Petra quietly asked, barely breaking though Levi’s thunderous thoughts.

“I haven’t had enough of his blood to do so, but apparently he had had enough of mine,” he ruefully admitted to her.

“If you got more blood, any blood, could you do it?” her tone took a serious turn, as if she were truly on to something. And, as always, she was.

“I could,” Levi shortly realized. “But it has to be _his_ blood.”

“Hange’s lab,” Petra uttered. The second she spoke those words, Levi was already there and searching through cabinets. Hange and Moblit were there, screaming something at him before he could explain what was going on. Petra showed up at one point to help ransack the disorganized mess, able to communicate what they needed.

Levi was halfway through tearing apart a wooden cupboard filled with old books when Hange yelped, “I know where it is!”

“You took blood from him when I specifically told you not to?!” Levi roared, unable to keep his emotions in check. The demon-side of his anatomy was taking over quickly, turning him more into a monster than a man. His vocal chords became hoarse and maniacal. His tail whipped around in an agitated pattern. Wings were sprawled out to make himself look bigger as if he were under physical threat. With Eren missing, it was how he truly felt.

“Get over it, it’s helping us now, isn’t it?” Hange shouted right back, unafraid. Moblit grabbed out several IV bags half-filled with blood obviously taken over several sessions of research. He spread them all out on the nearest lab table for Levi, taking a few precautionary steps back to put some distance between himself and the beast before him. Levi couldn’t blame him. Moblit had never seen him in such a state before.

Levi wasted no time in ripping open the bags and gulping down Eren’s blood. It was cold, old, but still Eren’s. The sweet, crisp apple flavor had gone freezer-burnt in Levi’s opinion but that didn’t matter. One by one, he sucked each blood bag dry and hoped it would be enough to give him the strength he needed to find his mate. If he couldn’t, he knew he’d tear the entire world apart just to save the love of his life.

* * *

“The Goddess of Death?” Eren gaped at her, taken completely off-guard. “There’s no way.”

“A Goddess is immortal, Eren. I can never die, and I can appear in many forms. When those… _humans,_ ” she spoke the word in disgust, “burnt our home down, they may have destroyed my body, but I survived. With a little time, I rose from the ashes and retreated here until I could find you. Or, I suppose, you found me.” She giggled at that last bit, obviously pleased with Eren’s mistaken teleportation.

When he didn’t say anything in reply, she continued, “I see you’ve been bitten by one of those ungrateful leeches. Though, it seems to have worked out for the best. This way, you’ve gained my own powers of teleportation that brought you right back to me. You desired to see me, didn’t you?”

Eren lowered his eyes and nodded slowly. He wasn’t sure if he felt disappointed or ashamed, or a horrible mixture of both. With every fiber in his being, he wanted to see her again. But, he hadn’t expected to meet the Goddess of Death and he definitely hadn’t expected her to be his mother.

“I can only imagine what you’ve been through, sweetheart. Mom will make it better,” she assured, petting at his hair softly. He leaned into her touch, remembering it fondly. “I’ll fix everything.”

“Fix…?” Eren wasn’t sure what she meant by it. He hadn’t wanted anything in his life to change.

“Whichever one of those _cretins_ hurt you will _pay_ for what they’ve done. We’ll abolish them from this world, so we can be safe and together again. I’ll erase everything for you, sweetheart. You won’t remember a thing,” she assured lovingly. “And we’ll take care of that smell, too. It’s stinks and covers up your pretty scent.”

“N-no!” Eren scurried back, falling off the bed and scrambling as far away from her as he could. “I don’t _want_ to forget!”

“Eren, whomever bit you is just playing with your head. They _want_ you to be dependent on them. They _want_ you to need them. But you don’t, sweetheart.”

“I _won’t_ forget Levi,” Eren declared to the world in the most serious tone he could muster in that moment of terror.

“Levi?” she asked slowly, squinting at Eren with curiosity. “Levi… bit you? He claimed you as a mate?”

“You know Levi?” Eren’s heart thumped. She knew Levi. She had known him for the entirety of Eren’s life. A crazy part of his mind yearned for her stories about him, just to get some more insight on his lover. The other part was fearful. What if his mother didn’t like Levi? What if she still wanted to take away Eren’s memories? Could she even do that?

“Of course, I do. He was one of the first and is now the oldest of my creations. I hadn’t expected someone like _him_ to stumble upon you, though.”

“Well, I’m glad he did,” Eren spoke truthfully. “Because I love him.”

She barked out a laugh of disbelief. “You _love_ him?”

“I do,” Eren stood from his spot on the floor and rubbed at the mark on his neck, the one that tied the two together. “I love him.”

“You don’t know the first thing about him, dear,” she shook her head slowly, as if she pitied him. “It’s safer if you stay here and we sever the bond. I think you need some time away to really think things over.”

“Mom…” Eren sighed, unsure of how to voice what he wanted. He wanted to see her and be with her, but there was no way in hell he’d ever let her sever any sort of bond he had with Levi.

“Let’s get you cleaned up and fed, how about that? Then, we can talk more about Levi,” she tried to deal. At least it was something.

“Okay, we can do that,” Eren agreed in defeat. He didn’t like where their conversation was going, but perhaps making her happy would help her understand.

When she held out her arms for a hug, Eren fell into them. It was the same as always, warm and secure. From there, he used to feel like the entire world was perfect and that nothing could have hurt him. For the most part, it did still feel wonderful, but Eren couldn’t stop thinking about Levi.

His mother brought out a pair of silver scissors from one of the bedside table drawers and started sheering off Eren’s hair that had grown much too long for her liking. Eren didn’t mind the cut nor did he mind his short hair. She hummed and scratched at his scalp in a soothing manner the entire time, but he couldn’t stop thinking about what Levi would think of his new look.

She left the room only for a moment and returned shortly with a warm basin of water and a clean, white washcloth. Like usual, she washed off his face, neck, and hands with the warm water. Soon after, she brought out a set of soft pajamas for him to wear. They looked expensive, silky, and modern. Even so, they didn’t match up to the old set of Levi’s that smelled so good and Eren had to shake his head in refusal to change.

It didn’t faze her, and she dropped the outfit in favor of rummaged around the room for a while until dragging out an old book. The two of them sat in bed together under the blanket and she opened up the book on her lap while Eren rested his head on her shoulder.

The book was a photo album filled with extremely old prints that were in surprisingly good shape after taking on the toll of time. They were in black and white, but still clear enough to see perfect detail. As she flipped through the pages, those photos turned into paintings and those paintings turned into drawings. “Let’s start from the beginning then. This is Levi, yes?” she showed Eren a drawing of a young boy with silky black hair, pointed dark eyes, and a childish smirk. It was a miniature version of the man he loved, a young version that Eren never thought he’d be able to witness.

“Yes!” he exclaimed, taking hold of the book to get a closer look.

“He started out as a nice boy, you know. A lot like you. Curious, smart, and loving…” she sighed. “But, not completely immune to sin.”

“What do you mean?”

“I could only turn those sinful enough into vampires. Only those who wronged humanity enough to deserve eternal damnation as a monster.”

Eren blinked down at the child in the drawing, slowly recalling the stories Levi had shared with him. “He was a thief and a hitman,” he slowly spoke. “But a good person.”

“Obviously not if he turned,” she muttered, but kept turning the pages until finding another drawing of Levi. It was most likely just after he turned sometime in his twenties. “Eren, I need you to realize just how beautiful humanity is. I’ve always adored humanity, so much so that I took a woman’s form. I tried to make them happy with the powers I possessed. I made a mistake, Eren. The things I created are not human in the slightest, but you are. You’re the one thing that I was able to create that’s human.”

“I’m not human anymore, though,” Eren reminded her. “And I’m okay with that. I wasn’t at first, but…”

“But they tricked you into finding comfort in it,” she finished before Eren could. “Into finding freedom and love in it.”

“Not tricked, I _do_ find freedom and love,” Eren wanted to clarify. “Because Levi is different. He hates vampires too. We even… killed a few of them.” The admission wasn’t planned but Eren still felt a little proud for holding his own against the purebloods. It definitely wasn’t something he intended to tell his mother, though.

“That was _you_?” her eyes widened. “I knew there were another few that died, which was good news. I wasn’t aware that you had done it.”

“Levi and I did with Erwin’s help,” he told her. “They were… cruel. But Levi and his friends aren’t.”

She was quiet for a few moments, but she didn’t seem upset with him. On the contrary, she seemed to radiate excitement. “You were able to take them down?”

“Well, yeah. They were keeping all these humans against their will and bullying other vampires into doing stuff that they didn’t want to either…” Eren blinked a few times, trying to recall the entire event. Due to his heat, he could hardly remember anything other than what Levi had told him. “And now a bunch of them came to live with us, and they’re all nice. It’s really neat to have friends and I really like them.”

“Oh honey, I’m glad you had fun.” She petted his hair and gave his temple a kiss. “But now it’s time to come back home to me. It’s much nicer here than our old one, isn’t it? You can have this room all to yourself, we have plenty of food, and no one will ever bother us here. We’ll just turn you right back into a human and it will be like nothing ever happened.”

* * *

Levi could feel Eren’s blood in his system, making him feel renewed with power and energy. His rapidly beating heart made it difficult to clear his mind to begin teleporting back to Eren. Panic and anxiety tainted the focus he needed to find Eren, so he tried to calm himself down by thinking back to the lazy days they spent in bed together or listening to Eren ramble on and on about the things he enjoyed.

Right when he thought he finally found some kind of peace, a loud banging originated from the foyer. He abandoned Hange’s lab to investigate, hoping to every God and Goddess that somehow it was Eren. He flung the front door open without much thought, only to see two purebloods he didn’t recognize at the door.

“Levi Ackerman, we’re here to arrest you under the suspicion of treason and the murders of three purebloods,” one of them stated in a proper, dominating tone.

“You can plead your case before the head of the council, Fritz Reiss,” the other finished their fucked-up little speech.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Levi looked at both of them incredulously. “You think you can arrest me?”

“We _are_ arresting you,” one of them glared at him, reaching out to simply touch his hand. Levi jerked away, but they were too quick. A surge of power overtook him, freezing him in place. It only took a second for the other pureblood to fix the silver handcuffs onto Levi, the silver collar, and a headpiece including a muzzle overtop his head. Like some kind of beast, they’d confined him with a metal that burned against his skin and started to guide him toward a vehicle parked out front.

The bigger of the two latched onto his bicep with an unforgiving force, pulling him toward the vehicle and eventually shoving him into it. A strange, tingling power still had his body feeling oddly stiff as if all his limbs had fallen asleep at the same time. He guessed it was the ability of the pureblood that had touched him, sending shockwaves of power so strong that they rendered the body useless.

While Levi wanted to fight back, he knew he had a new tightrope to walk along. He had consumed just enough of Eren’s blood to help him teleport _once_. If he used any of that energy or power to get him out of the restraints or fight against the purebloods arresting him, he wouldn’t retain the ability to teleport. Yet, with the silver weighing down on his skin, he definitely wouldn’t be able to teleport anyway. The odds were stacked against him, and he had to consistently wonder:

Where the hell were the changelings? Where was Erwin? And where in the Goddess of Death’s name was Eren?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your support, comments, kudos, ect with this story! It seriously means so much to me that you're all enjoying it! Your comments are my lifeblood <3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	24. Chapter 24

The chamber they’d locked Levi in was as ancient as he was, which was quite the statement. He glanced around the small circular room, observing the murals painted along the walls and ceiling. They’d left it pitch-black, but he could see right through the darkness without any issues. Whomever captured him had taken an obnoxious amount of precautions. They linked his arms behind him, chaining them up with pure silver and looping the thick chains around a pole that ran from the concrete floor up through the ceiling. Similar cuffs and chains were secured around his ankles, giving him just enough slack to stand properly. The metal headpiece locked around his skull included a muzzle that would prevent him from biting anything or anyone, as if they needed to fear his fangs. The only thing they _hadn’t_ shackled was his dick, though he wouldn’t have doubted it if they stuck him in a silver cock cage. He had to smile though, because all of the bondage meant one thing: they were afraid of him.

After all the waiting he’d done that day, he assumed they were purposefully keeping him in such an uncomfortable state. The silver burnt his skin and drained him of his energies, bringing him down to a docile state. With time only came more degeneration, which would make him a little less powerful. Eventually, he figured he’d get to a state where they felt comfortable moving him to some sort of courtroom or perhaps a torture chamber. Either way, he knew he needed to wait for his opportunity to shake free of his bonds.

The murals kept him company and left his mind wandering. They told the story of the Goddess of Death; one Levi hadn’t thought about in centuries. After she turned him, his memories of her became vague and forgettable. All he could remember is that she favored him for some reason and that she was beautiful, everything else melted away with time.

The Gods and Goddesses of the Universe created Earth as a pastime, but soon realized it came with responsibilities and roles. Each one of them loved Earth so much, that they all joined together to bring organization to the chaos. One God deemed himself the Father of Life, bringing new things to the land every day and creating unique souls to inhabit the land. Another wished to shine light onto every inch of the planet, working together with another Goddess that brought peace and darkness. One by one, they elected themselves and fought until every duty was fulfilled except for one. The youngest of all Deities drew the short end of the stick and became the Goddess of Death, bringing an end to all creation in order to make way for new life.

She hated it. There were plenty of little drawings of her weeping, spending most of her time in the Underworld sobbing until she ended up creating a river that flowed right through the fires of Hell. The Goddess _loved_ the Earth and wanted to be a part of it but ended up stuck in the pits of the core only able to gaze up at it from below.

The thing she loved most were the humans. She despised only being able to meet their dead, emotionless souls and dreamt of what they were like when they were alive. A Goddess had many powers, but she couldn’t bring life to a ghost no matter how hard she tried. In Hell, there was no space in between life and death. But on Earth…

It was a risk, but one she needed to take. The Goddess escaped her hellish prison and climbed out from the depths, surfacing to the place she loved most in the universe. To her surprise, her fellow Gods and Goddesses were failing the humans. They were letting disease run mad, sending them to her much too soon. They were killing them off without a care in the world. The Gods were cruel to the humans, but she wasn’t going to be.

So, she created vampires. Only humans destined for her realm would turn properly, the others wouldn’t survive. She needed to find ones deserving enough of Hell, deserving of eternal life of damnation. After a bit of trial and error, she arrived in a little village and made her first creations. She _loved_ them, giving them the same powers of her demons in Hell. She wanted them to survive, to live on throughout the centuries so she’d never be lonely. In the cleverest way, she created a way that they could find human mates to live alongside them, so they wouldn’t get lonely either.  Co-dependency meant never losing a lover, after all.

And as far as lovers went, eventually, she found one and indulged in a Goddess’s greatest sin: procreation with a human.

Consequences existed on Earth and they eventually caught up with her after centuries of meddling. The other Gods and Goddesses were seething, searching for ways to punish her in the most suiting fashion. With a human child in her womb, they deemed her to a life of a human. They stripped her of her powers. She was cursed to live a mortal life until the thing she loved most in the world died, her own child. As the Goddess of Death, she was destined to kill them. Worst of all, the child was bound to the Heavens to live as a demigod after their mortal life ended. After her offspring died at her own hand, she’d never see them again for the rest of her immortality.

Levi wasn’t sure what happened after that. He assumed her child died and that she regained her throne, but there was no telling what had truly happened. They were simply legends, after all, something that could never be proven by anyone that walked the Earth. Every story involving the Gods and Goddesses had such a time warp involved that it was hard to tell what was modern and what wasn’t, especially for the immortal folk.

“Well, that wasted a good three fucking minutes,” Levi muttered to himself, sighing in annoyance. Chained to a pole was the last place he needed to be. He needed to be where Eren was. He needed to know where the changelings went. He needed to rid himself of the damned shackles keeping him in place and figure out what the hell was going on.

Anger was bubbling under his skin, rising to a boil. Even as he was locked under a pure silver siege of bondage, the pebbles on the floor started to vibrate under the pressure of Levi’s power. He held it in the best he could to conserve his strength for teleportation, but it was damned difficult as he contemplated whether it’d be better to wait or simply break away and hope he could locate Eren without the use of teleportation.

The metal door opened before he could make up his mind, revealing the two that had captured him. “Time to go,” one of them spoke in such a flat, emotionless tone it was almost funny.

“It’s about fucking time,” Levi shorted.

“Three days shouldn’t feel like more than an hour for you in this room,” they glared.

Levi’s lips pursed shut, holding back some kind of snarky comment. _Three days?_ Had it truly been that long or were they playing mind games? If had had been three days, Eren…

Eren was in trouble.

* * *

Eren’s entire body shook even though he kept himself buried under three blankets his mother had brought him, one for every day that he grew colder and colder. He was _freezing_ , missing the heat of his mate next to him. His stomach thundered, rumbling with the need for blood. No matter how much food his mother coaxed him to eat, it wasn’t ever enough. His skin crawled, his head throbbed, and he felt as though he were tossed into some kind of Hell.

“It’s just withdrawal, dear, you’ll get through it,” his mother kept saying over and over again. “Once you forget about him, you’ll be free of your need for him. The only reason you feel like this is because of him. He _wants_ you to feel like this, so you won’t be able to leave. I’ve got you now, though, don’t worry.”

“I don’t want to forget,” Eren stubbornly spoke even though every word felt like another stab to his dry throat. He tasted blood as he swallowed, trying to soothe the aching drought.

“Just rest, Eren,” she scolded. “Talking will only make it worse. I never wanted to subject you to this, I wanted you to live as the humans did. Now, I’ll get to take care of you forever. Doesn’t that sound nice? That vampire’s selfishness becomes our happily ever after.” She ran her fingers through Eren’s hair and hummed. “Can I convince you to take a bath and change your clothes? We can scrub his scent right off and it’ll make it hurt less.”

“ _No,_ ” Eren practically growled. He’d refused her every time, holding on to the last thing he had of Levi’s. While he definitely needed a bath, he would _not_ lose what he had left. Even as he felt his own energies draining and his mind dizzying, he refused to move.

“Eren,” she spoke with a little more sternness in her tone, like she would whenever she caught him trying to sneak outside of their little house when he was little. “Don’t waste your time moping over him. He served his purpose in our lives, and that’s that.”

“You’re the Goddess of Death,” Eren noted. “Can’t you bring him here? He can stay with us. You could come live with us.”

“Nonsense,” she tucked the blankets around him, talking to him as if he were a small child. “Levi will go somewhere he can never get hurt. Thanks to him, if he perishes, so do you. We’ll keep him safe somewhere no one can ever get to him.”

“You… know where he is?” The fact got Eren to sit up from his position, needing to look her in the eye.

“I know where all my creations are.”

“Then let me see him.” It wasn’t a suggestion, but rather a demand. It was the first time Eren’s voice rang out clearly since that morning. “I want to see him. Now.”

“Eren,” she was back to her stern-mother voice and put a gentle hand on his shoulder, easing his head right back down to the pillow. “You may have bonded with Levi, but he’s just playing with your head. He doesn’t truly love you like I do. He’s stolen your life. Now, you’re dead and can never be a human again. Don’t you understand?”

“He does love me,” Eren argued, sitting right back up again. “And I love him too.”

She frowned. “It kills me to see you like this. A first heartbreak is always the worst.”

“It’s not a heartbreak. I bet he’s out there looking for me right now. I bet he’ll break down every wall to find me.”

“Only because he has to.”

He huffed in exasperation and shuffled until he could get out of the bed and stand on his own two feet. His balance was a train wreck and he stumbled a few times, trying to get out the door. There was a bathroom out in the hallway, he knew, and another door that had to lead to an exit. “Fine. _I’m_ going to find _him,_ then.”

Just like the room, the hallway was a huge circle. Directly across from the bedroom door was the bathroom, a place Eren trudged to every now and again when he absolutely had to. But around… he quickened his pace as fast as he could and walked around, looking for an exit or staircase. Anything to get away. Round, round, round, Eren’s pace turned into a sprint. The hallway was an endless circle, no way out or down. He could see his own footprints left in the plush carpet beneath his bare feet. 

His mother leaned against the doorway with her arms crossed. “Eren…” she sighed. “Let’s stop this silly game and get you back into bed.”

“How do I…?” he started to ask but stopped and glared when he knew she’d never tell him. “You trapped me up here.”

“For your own good,” she pointed out with a little smile. “We’re better hidden up here where no one can reach us. I can bring you anything you’d ever want.”

“Bring me Levi,” Eren smartly countered with the tiniest grin of success.

“Anything but him.” She escorted him right back into bed, practically forcing him back under the blankets. He was too exhausted and cold to even pout, fangs tingling with the need for Levi’s skin, for Levi’s blood.

“Bring him here, so I can see him,” he used the last of his energy to command her. “If you don’t, I don’t think I’ll…” _Survive._

“You’re being dramatic, honey,” she sat at the edge of the bed, so she could adjust the blankets around him, tucking him in. “You’re just newly changed. Your body feels this way to keep you close to him. Once you get over the symptoms, you’ll be just fine.”

“I don’t understand why I can’t see him.”

“Some things are better off forgotten,” she vaguely responded. Her cop-out explanations used to satisfy him as a child, but after seeing the world outside of their sanctuary they’d no longer do. He needed substance and truth, not distractions and empty assurances.

“Mom,” he tried again, bringing out as much assertion in his voice as possible. It came out as a wheeze. “What’s so wrong with me falling in love?”

“Because it’s not the love you deserve!” she burst. “It’s hollow, Eren! Can’t you see it? It’s based on instinct and biological needs! I would know, I created vampires to work in such a way!”

“How do you know it’s not real?”

“Because the only love that can truly exist is an unconditional, sacrificial kind. It’s like how I love you. I gave up my divinity to have you. I gave up my true form for your happiness. That vampire gave _nothing._ He’ll take your blood and your emotions, but you’ll get nothing back other than eternal life which is a curse in itself, one I’ve never wished upon you. You’re all I have, Eren, and I won’t lose you again!”

The entire room shook under her words, quaking with her power. A few books rumbled right off the shelves and the drapes swayed, letting in a streak of sunlight that nearly hit Eren right in the face. Its bright warmth startled him and had him shielding himself with the nearest blanket.

“See? My son can’t even see the sunlight,” she wailed, magic still radiating out from her skin. It reminded Eren of when Levi would lose himself and let go of his own power a little. The hellish, wonderous magics took on a darker form as emotion rode over rationality. In that moment, she reminded Eren of himself as feeling rose above thought. “And it’s _his_ fault.”

Eren avoided eye contact with her and allowed himself to look toward the window. As the drapes danced back into place, the light was shrouded once again. No, he couldn’t stand at a window and admire a beautiful day. He wouldn’t ever see the sun again with a smile on his face or feel the warmth on his face. But perhaps he’d eventually drag himself toward that window to take a look anyway, it was a better option than lying in bed and waiting to die.

* * *

Mike paced around the house. The _one_ time he left Levi to stray too far and the stupid vampire got himself taken somewhere that Mike couldn’t reach. He felt incredibly guilty and regretted every decision he’d made since Eren went missing. The self-accusations stabbed relentlessly at his heart.

_You told the humans to stay in their rooms no matter what. You told the changelings to spread out as far as they could. You told them to not come back unless they had any kind of information. You trusted Levi’s safety to yourself, only to end up losing him too._

“Hey.” The little voice dragged him right out of his thoughts. Nanaba had joined him in the kitchen and perched up on the counter, sitting with her legs dangling off the side. “Levi will be okay,” she started off, as if she _knew_ he was stressing out about the pureblood’s disappearance. “You’ve got to trust him.”

“I do…” Mike sighed. “I’d feel better if I knew where he went, though. His scent fades at the end of our driveway, so someone took him by car. That’s all I know.”

“We also know he’d do anything to keep Eren safe, and that he’s practically invincible,” she reminded Mike with an assuring smile. “Eren will be delivered home safely by our favorite vampire before either of them disappears forever.”

“You’re right,” Mike had to give it to her. Levi wouldn’t let anything happen to Eren and he’d go to the end of the earth to keep his mate safe. “Are the other humans okay?”

“They’re fine. Most of them are actually sleeping. You should sleep too, it’s still daylight.”

“I don’t think I can,” he laughed a little, knowing his own anxiety wouldn’t let him rest until he knew Levi and Eren were okay. He knew Levi would just tell him to get over it and to keep the family safe, but it was still difficult to rid himself of guilt for losing sight of Levi in the first place. He stalked over to her until he could stand before her. To his surprise, she stretched out her legs to hook around his hips and pull him a little closer. It was a bold move for someone so shy.

“Please, try?” she quietly asked, looking him right in the eye. Hers were so beautiful and bright, like the sun Mike rarely got to see. It was like his own personal glimpse of daylight, captured right around her nighttime pupils. “You can fool everyone into thinking you’re big, stoic, and invincible… but you won’t fool me.”

“You can see right through me, then?” Mike joked a little with a smirk on his lips.

“Like glass,” she grinned, the cutest smile Mike had ever seen. She seemed comfortable in his presence rather than fearful. She opened up to him in a way she couldn’t with anyone else. Every little chat, gesture, and glance led up to a genuine, relaxed friendship. Though, with her legs wrapped around his hips, he wondered if he was a little more than just friendship. It was just the distraction he needed before driving himself completely mad with silent worry. “Let’s get you to your bedroom,” she suggested, but didn’t move from her place or let him go.

Much to Mike’s delight, it was obvious enough to know that she was going to accompany him. It was her silent way of saying _I’m coming too._ Again, he couldn’t stop thinking of how cute she was in that quiet way. With an easy lift, he curled his two arms around her waist to keep her against him and carried her out of the kitchen and up the stairs. She giggled a little at the carry and kept her legs squeezed right around him. Draping her arms around his shoulders, she held on tight.

Mike’s bedroom was far from the extravagance of Levi’s or the messiness of Farlan’s. Mike never spent much time in his bedroom and therefore, he didn’t need anything out of the ordinary. The walls were a forest green and the window was covered up nicely with heavy cream drapes. His bed was the biggest thing in the room, taking up a majority of the space with white and grey blankets. The walk-in closet had all of his clothes and the attached bathroom was where he left his toiletries, so there wasn’t much of a need for anything else in the room.

“It’s cozy,” Nanaba noticed, peering around with interest. He had expected her to say _empty_ or _plain_ , so it came to a nice surprise that she wasn’t underwhelmed. It was an unexpected moment for him as he realized he wanted to impress her in any way he could.

So, in an effort to make her smile a little, he snapped his fingers to light up the candles he had collected on the bedside tables. All of them slowly came aglow, in a soft manner that wouldn’t be startling or intense. It was a little trick he’d picked up from Levi, the ability to manipulate fire as well as an immense strength that even surpassed the pureblood’s. Every changeling had something of Levi’s, and that fact nearly brought him back into spiraling anxiety.

But, Nanaba was leaning back as if to pull them toward his bed. He obeyed her silent command and sat down at the edge, letting her crawl off of him. She stood between his knees and grasped at his jacket, easing it off of him with a little help. Next, she unlaced his boots and shucked them off his feet, tossing them toward the corner of the room to deal with later. He was left in a black t-shirt and dark jeans, which she deemed good enough for a nap.

“Now go get under the blankets,” she urged, pushing and pulling at him until he lumbered up the bed and got himself situated. It felt oddly nice having her mother him, something he definitely wasn’t used to whatsoever. The closest anyone got to doting over him was Petra, but even she didn’t do much other than remind him to eat when he’d get too stressed out to remember to.

Nanaba surprised him by getting under as well, and that caused an all-new feeling to rush over him. This beautiful human was willingly enveloping herself in his scent. He’d never felt such a sense of primal pride taking over as she nuzzled into the blankets soaked in the musky pine aroma. He didn’t realize it as his body expelled even more, rushing over them both in a sense of claim and protection.

“Tell me more about you,” she asked, easing toward him until her forehead was pressed up against his chest and her arm was draped over him as if he were her teddy bear.

“More about me? What do you want to know?” he asked, bemused by the question.

“Everything,” she admitted, keeping her face hidden in his shirt. “Or tell me a story. Or anything, really.”

He had to wonder if it was a just a tactic to distract him or if she really wanted to know. Based off of her actions and scent, she really wanted to know him. The floral scent was something he couldn’t quite pinpoint solely based off of the fact that he didn’t know much about flowers or what each of them smelled like, but she smelled fresh and lovely like summer. It was something that set his whole body at ease as he continued to breathe her in.

“What was your life like when you were human?” she asked, prodding for something for him to talk about. Ironically, she had chosen something he had _never_ talked about before. Levi didn’t even know the entire story.

“My grandmother and I lived in a little house in the woods. She couldn’t leave the forest because the townsfolk thought she was a witch and threatened to burn her alive. When I was little, I thought she was a witch too… but the good kind…” he started, smiling as he spoke. A lot of changelings had sob stories and survived some kind of personal hell. Mike, though, had a mostly peaceful life alongside his grandmother at least until the very end. The very end was something entirely different from cheerful. “The townsfolk came into the forest to seek out the witch. They burnt our house down. At that point, she was too old to escape, and I was too weak to carry her.”

“What was she like?”

The simple question got him off of the darker part of his past and back into the happier, halcyon days of his childhood. Just like that, Nanaba had taken his anxiety and turned it into something magical.

Trust Levi, that was her advice, and Mike knew he had to take it. He needed to believe in his closest friend and trust that he and Eren would make it back home safely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading and for your support too! <3<3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	25. Chapter 25

The space shook around him as Levi was roughly escorted to a court room of sorts. It was cavernous with stalactites hanging from the ceiling. Someone had gone through the effort of carving designs and portraits on them, but it didn’t make them look any less violent. The floor was covered in dark marble which made their footsteps echo throughout the vast space. Levi looked up to see something quite familiar. Above him was a ledge, a peninsula of stone in the cave where chains to hold him down were gleaming.

One of the purebloods grabbed him firmly by the neck and took a leap up toward that ledge. It was relatively two stories above ground level and he was dragged by the neck in a superhuman hop up to the top. They handled him like some kind of rag doll and he could understand why. He was their enemy, after all, the true head of certain rebellion. It wasn’t like he could die from such treatment, but it wasn’t exactly comfortable either.

He’d been there before, chained on that sacrificial pedestal with the threat of death constantly screaming in his ear. However, it wasn’t based on any real crime at all, at least not in Levi’s opinion. The only good thing that came out of the experience was the loss of fear. It was almost ironic, he’d been punished for being a monster and only became more of one after it was all said and done.

They pushed him to his knees and elaborately chained him down, so his arms were stretched out and tightly secured. His shirt was torn off to reveal a body bearing scars of the past. The only way to scar a vampire was with silver, and he knew the Council had plenty ready for whatever the hell they were going to do to him.

The last time he’d fallen into their clutches, purebloods took pleasure in piercing him with silver jewelry on his nose, ears, and lip. They _enjoyed_ hurting him, most likely because the strongest one of them all was at their mercy. They feared him, so they found comfort in maiming him. The fact that it was his second time up on the podium didn’t make it any more pleasurable.

Below him, purebloods gathered. The oldest ones that seemed to hide in the woodwork came out of their secret spaces to judge him based on ancient vampire laws that lacked relevancy as well as mercy. The man who had condemned Levi to such a mortal hell stood before them all.

“Fritz, you’re really showing your age,” Levi muttered just loud enough for them to hear.

Fritz, the self-proclaimed _king_ of purebloods, glared up at him. He looked like a corpse with sunken cheeks, dark eyes, and a thin frame. Really, he looked like an old man attempting to hold himself up against his heavy robes. Apparently, he refused to drink any blood because none of it would be as pure as the Goddess’. Levi thought it was crazy enough the man thought of himself as a king, but the fact that he refused human blood because he thought it would _taint_ his holy body was bordering on insanity.

Okay, it _was_ insanity.

“My power of premonition once told me that Levi was the key to the Goddess’ powers!” Fritz announced to the room in a booming yet decrepit voice. “And it has again shown me the truth of Levi Ackerman’s deeds. He keeps the power from us. He drinks from her source and refuses to share the wealth. He watches us _die_ so he can be the only one, the only king! He has brainwashed our kin and killed our brothers. Now, we will force him to give us his power, to give us our rights as vampires!”

“The fuck…?” Levi whispered to himself. Had he truly gone insane? Levi would happily admit he helped kill another pureblood, but everything else spouting from the old man’s mouth seemed ludicrous at best.

“I have been in contact with our Goddess and she has given me a command,” Fritz went on. “We will pardon Levi’s crimes, and she will give us the power of life itself! We will be able to create more purebloods, abolishing the mixed blood of changelings!” Cheers from the little group of purebloods echoed through the cavern. Once they died down, Fritz continued, “And the power to create suitable humans to feed from!” At that, the crowd truly roared with excitement.

 _The power to create suitable humans to feed from,_ Levi repeated in his head. _Eren_ had that power. _Eren_ could create new Omegas with something as simple as a shallow bite. What did Fritz know and who was the ‘Goddess’ he was referring to? The burning questions had Levi shifting in his chained position, testing the bonds and wondering just how much wiggle room he had to work with. They were extremely careful in keeping the silver metal on him at all times, leaving no space for escape.

“While we won’t execute him as we usually would, we will preserve him for her,” Fritz laughed as if this grand scheme were some kind of cheesy evil plan right out of a children’s movie. “Right here in our court room, he can serve as a message for the other rebels. If anyone tries to defy us, they can join him up there and spend their immortality pondering upon their crimes.”

It wasn’t an ideal situation, but apparently it could have been worse. If Levi died, Eren would automatically die as well. At least if he stayed alive and shackled in a cavern, Eren would be able to live on. Levi knew Eren would need a pureblood’s blood to survive, but Erwin would offer up his own to keep Eren healthy. Levi knew that, and he trusted his friend. Of course, that situation only worked out if Erwin could _find_ Eren.

Levi missed him so much that it was almost pathetic. He just wanted to be back at their home together, joking and staying close together in bed. He wanted to be surrounded by their family having stupid little parties and teasing one another non-stop. He wanted to feel that sour jealousy of when Eren spent too much time with the humans or changelings. He wanted to fall asleep with his mate in his arms, knowing that he was fully capable of protecting Eren until the sun’s last breath.

It seemed he wasn’t capable, not at all.

Against the silver chains constantly brushing against his skin and the group of purebloods below, there were no good options left. If he escaped the chains, he’d barely have enough power left to escape and couldn’t even think about teleporting away. If he simply waited, an opportunity to teleport was nearly impossible.

“Fuck,” he sighed to himself. For once, he didn’t have a plan, nor could he muscle his way out of the situation. His heart ached with overwhelming emotions he hadn’t endured in decades and they were all because of Eren. As much as it hurt, Levi loved it and it compelled him to do the craziest of things.

* * *

The daylight shined through a sliver between the curtains of Eren’s prison and he wandered toward it when his mother strayed away to make him something for lunch. He had no idea where she went to do so, but she was a fucking Goddess, so he figured she could pretty much do anything she wanted.

He’d gotten less talkative with her, which seemed to disappoint her. It hurt him to make her feel that way, but he lost his ambition to reason with her. She’d constantly tell him that his love for Levi wasn’t real, that he’d been toyed with and brainwashed. She wanted him to forget, to erase that portion of his life and start fresh. She wanted to ‘give him his life back’, which he never truly understood. As he spoke less, she tended to give him more and more time alone as the hours ticked by. At first, she rarely left his side. After his silent treatment, she would leave for long stretches of time under the reasoning that she wanted to give him time alone to think and come to the realization that Levi wasn’t healthy for him. His only problem was that she’d leave him alone during the day but wouldn’t take her eyes off of him at night.

Eren figured his dependency on Levi was probably a little crazy, and the fact that he’d fallen in love so fast might not have been the most reasonable thing in the world. Still, what he felt was real and he couldn’t deny it. No matter how much she tried to convince him he’d been lied to, he couldn’t forget the way Levi kissed him. He couldn’t forget how the vampire laughed and stuck so solidly to his morals. Eren admired everything about Levi, and he’d do anything for his mate.

He found himself wobbling toward the windows shielded by heavy drapes. The closer he got to the light, the weaker he felt and the hotter his skin became. It didn’t matter, though. He knew pain and a little sunlight wasn’t the worst he’d endured. When he drew back the curtains, he knew he had to act fast.

The moment the sunlight touched his skin, he could feel the sharp burn on his arms and neck. Pain licked its way up to his face and the light blinded him, but his fingers kept looking for a latch or knob to get the windows open somehow. In a fit of frustrated rage, he curled his screaming fingers into a fist and punched the glass out. It shattered on impact and little pieces of glass stuck into his flesh. He could hear some others falling from the window and down to the ground below, realizing just how high up they were.

Forcing his eyes open, he scanned his surroundings. They were in some kind of old castle that looked like it had come straight out of a French history book. He was in one of the towers looking over a courtyard below. It was a far drop, but Eren figured it couldn’t kill him to launch himself out and escape the trap he’d teleported into.

With both hands on the window frame and one foot propped up so he could make a proper leap, he took in a deep breath and gave himself a push… Only to have a hand grab him by the shirt collar and yank him right back inside.

“ _Eren_!” the most horrified voice screeched. His mother made quick work of shutting the curtains and giving him the most petrified expression. She looked at his burning skin and cut hands, as if she wasn’t sure where to start with her upcoming lecture to him about never leaving the tower. In a flash, her expression fell flat. Emotionlessly, she growled, “That’s it. If you’re not going to behave, I’m not going to treat you so gently anymore. Let’s get this Levi-business over with. It’s about time you’ve forgotten about that sewer rat.”

With a rough hold on his bicep, she yanked Eren out of the bedroom and into the hallway. When she walked out into the circular hall, the wooden boards morphed and moved forming a staircase going downward. She pulled him lower and lower down the circular stairs until he assumed they’d reached the main floor of the castle.

There was a loud rumbling sound coming from below, as if a dragon had been kept in the basement of the palace. The floor shook under Eren’s feet and an odd surge of yearning and ease bubbled up between his ribs. Between the vampires and all of the magic he’d seen, a dragon wouldn’t have surprised him. A mighty, echoing roar reverberated through the castle walls, and that had Eren _convinced_.

His mother just looked tired and worn out as she dragged him toward their destination. There was no anger or even sadness on her, which was the most frightening thing to Eren- no emotion was always worse than some kind of emotion. It had him wondering what she planned on doing, but as they approached another spiraling staircase his nose distracted him from the question.

As they got lower and lower, a thick spicy scent flew right up his nose and into his lungs. He would have choked on it if it hadn’t smelled so damn good. He _wanted_ to drown in it. “Levi?” he asked aloud, not expecting some kind of an answer. He’d gotten so excited just based on the scent alone that he couldn’t help but perk up. A rush of energy that he hadn’t felt for _days_ rushed through him as he let his mother lead the way downwards.

* * *

The silver chains shattered around Levi as he used whatever energy he had left to break free from them. His heart pounded with guilt, knowing that he’d wasted his chance to teleport back to Eren. He needed to escape, though, if he was going to continue looking for his missing mate.

Purebloods below all looked up with wide eyes, probably not expecting him to break through silver as if it were glass. They started scrambling around one another, preparing for a fight. Some cursed while others ran right back into the holes they’d appeared from, running for their immortal lives.

An inhuman roar burst from Levi’s chest, loud enough to cause several of the stalactites to crumble and fall from the ceiling, stabbing into the ground below and almost crashing into the purebloods. They were too quick to fall to such a fate, dodging out of the way just in time. While Levi didn’t necessarily plan on killing them, though it would have been convenient to wipe a few more out. He just needed to get out of that cavern and find Eren.

Just as he was prepared to leap off the edge and make a run for the nearest tunnel, a scent stopped him. It was faint and weak, but still real and alarming. “Apples,” he mumbled, glancing around for the source of the scent.

Back behind the purebloods, two figures came out of the mouth of the largest tunnel. One of them, Levi knew instantly, was Eren. The other was a woman that caused a myriad of horrible memories to flash before Levi’s eyes. It was the woman who had stolen his mortality away, the woman who cursed him into the body of a monster. The Goddess of Death had his mate by the arm, dragging him right into the chamber.

He had forgotten her face over the years but looking at her next to Eren sparked a revelation: Eren was her son. Eren was _the_ son of the Goddess of Death. A demi-god who walked the Earth and was promised an afterlife in the heavens. The boy who cursed her and tethered her to human form.

And Levi had claimed him as a mate.

Both horror and pride ranged through Levi’s body, but most of all the overwhelming urge to grab Eren and hold him close outweighed it all. Levi leapt down from the pedestal above and made a beeline for his mate. Before he could get close enough to snatch his mate from her grasp, she glared at him. “Don’t,” she warned, voice low and threatening. Levi stopped a few meters away, just close enough to get a good look at Eren.

The look of relief on Eren’s face warmed Levi’s heart, but it didn’t stop him from panicking as he watched her grab him from behind the neck. That weak, apple-scent was tainted with so many different emotions that Levi couldn’t pick a definitive one out.

In a firm, quiet voice she hissed, “The Gods and Goddesses deemed me _guilty_ for having Eren and forced me to suffer how humans suffer. You stole his life away, freeing me from such a fate. I owe you that, but nothing else. Go back to your home and live your life but stay far from us. That’s my deal.”

Levi hesitated, knowing that if he walked away he’d never see Eren again, but his boy would be safe. That moment of uncertainty seemed to be what she wanted as she started to smile cruelly. “See, Eren? It’ll all work out nicely. He only needs you for your blood, but I’m sure he can find some elsewhere just like we can for you.”

“I don’t need him for blood,” Levi spat immediately. “I need him because I love him.”

“That’s just what you want him to think,” she defended her son, pulling him farther back from Levi. She looked to the other purebloods who were frozen in shock. “Go on, take care of him and I’ll fulfill my promise to you. Let’s get this over with quickly so I can take my son to a safe place far from you _vermin_.”

Two of the strongest looking purebloods followed her command instantly, both grabbing Levi by the arms to secure him in place. Fritz brought out a fearful looking woman out from one of the tunnels. She looked distressed beyond belief, dirty, and frail.

“Follow me, and I’ll show you my wonders,” the Goddess bellowed. She grabbed Eren’s hair and forced him closer to Fritz and the woman. She forced Eren’s jaw open and Fritz took the woman’s arm. Between the two of them, they forced Eren’s fangs into the woman’s flesh. She dropped to the floor after a moment and her body convulsed a few times. She let out a shrill scream, displaying her absolute agony while the change began. Levi recognized it just like the other purebloods did: Eren had turned her into a vampire. She wasn’t just a changeling either, but a full-fledged pureblood. Her scent revealed it and the way her body filled out and healed itself make it clear.

Eren truly was a demi-god.

* * *

The Ackerman household was too quiet for Mikasa’s taste. She imagined Levi would have found Eren and brought him back by then. It had been days and she was growing quite bored of waiting. The prophecy never stated a real timeline, but she’d also never had much patience either.

She kept watch over the other humans and admired how adaptable they were. It was her goal to keep them safe, as the Goddess of Death’s tyranny over Earth left them astray. Apparently, she loved humans but after watching them suffer at the hands of her own creations Mikasa thought otherwise. One of the few good things she brought to the world was Eren, and she planned on protecting him as long as she could until he could return home: to her home above the clouds with the other Gods and Goddesses.

Assuming a mortal form was the most difficult part for her to adjust to, starting off weak and frail but slowly gaining back her holy powers. After long discussions with the others, she was chosen to guide him back home. They chose the Goddess of War, because they knew Carla wouldn’t give him up easily or without a fight.

Mikasa grew to trust the changelings in Levi’s house. Mike, Farlan, Eld, and Gunther treated the humans with such sensitive kindness that she nearly couldn’t believe it. She observed the way Levi treated Eren and it continually surprised her. The Earth continued to show her that there was always light, even in the thickest darkness.

The moment she opened up the front door, Farlan was there. He quirked an eyebrow at her and cocked his head to the side. “Where are you off to?”

“To go retrieve Eren and Levi,” she answered smoothly. “It seems they’ve gotten hung up somehow.”

“You… You’re going to find them? How?” Farlan laughed a little.

She allowed her true form to show, one of pure light and heavenly beauty. “Because I’m the Goddess of War and I’m stronger than anyone else on this planet.”

With that, she fled. The Goddess of Death was nostalgic, and she knew she needed to go where it all started. A beautiful castle in France where the basement sank so deeply into the Earth that it nearly touched the ceiling of Hell. It was the easiest place for her to breach the world of the human’s and the place she called home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading! I know this was just a little bit shorter of a chapter than usual and I'm sorry for that! The story started moving a bit faster than I had planned and it just worked out that way <3 I am truly so grateful for all of your support, and I hope you're still enjoying this story <3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	26. Chapter 26

The ceiling shook with power emanating from his mother and the rest of the vampires in the room. Little crumbles of stone fell down upon them like a rain of pebbles and dust. Eren resisted the urge to reach out and touch Levi, knowing that his mother wouldn’t allow him to but also because it had seemed like forever since he’d seen his mate and felt a touch of shock lock him in place. Was Levi disgusted with him after realizing he was the son of a Goddess? Was he afraid of what Eren was capable of? He’d just bitten into a poor woman, turning her into a pureblood. She looked dazed and afraid as she adjusted to her new form. None of the others paid her any mind which infuriated Eren. He remembered how terrifying it was to turn, but he had Levi there with him which made everything okay. She was surrounded by strangers and most likely in a lot of pain.

Eren wasn’t surprised he could turn humans into purebloods after realizing he had the power to turn them into Omegas too. Obviously, he’d gotten that power from his mother and all the little puzzle pieces started to connect. The only thing he refused to understand was why he couldn’t stay with Levi and why she hated his mate with such passion.

“Lock him away and I’ll restore your population,” she demanded, pointing up toward some kind of ledge against the cavern. “Obviously he’s not going to cooperate like I’d hoped, and he’s used whatever energy he had left to break free the first time.”

Eren heard the words _lock him away_ and started struggling against her grasp. “You will _not_ ,” he growled. Instincts slowly took over as he broke free from his shock. Even if Levi hated him for putting him in such a situation, he refused to let his own existence condemn Levi of crimes he didn’t commit. “I’ll do whatever you want, just let him go.”

“Don’t say that,” Levi interjected, raising his hands up a little as if he were surrendering. He kept his voice steady and calm, “Eren, don’t put yourself in a miserable situation like that just for my benefit.”

“But it’s my fault,” Eren pushed, still straining against his mother’s grasp. His muscles were shaking against him, unwilling to work any harder. A pit in his stomach ached as if he hadn’t eaten in years. “So, let me make it right.”

“This is _not_ your fault, Eren. You didn’t do anything wrong,” Levi firmly spoke as if he truly believed the fact.

“Eren, honey, don’t take the blame for his wrongdoings,” his mother whispered. “He _bought_ you from an auction and forced you into his home. You’re the victim here, not him. He’s a murderer, don’t you remember?”

“He’s always just trying to do what’s right. He’s always just trying to protect me,” Eren shook his head, not wanting to listen to either of them. He looked up to Levi and tried not to cry. “Can’t you just let me protect _you_ for once?”

Levi opened his mouth as if he were going to reply with something thoughtful, something that would definitely make Eren cry. He didn’t get a chance to speak, though, as the pureblood vampires that had collected around him started to haul him back toward the far wall of the cavern.

“That’s it,” Eren grumbled, officially furious at the entire situation. He twisted out of his mother’s hold, so he could face her. “Make them stop. Now.”

As it to humor him, she looked up to them and gave them a little nod which got them all to stop. “What’s wrong, Eren?” she asked smoothly, wearing a little triumphant smirk.

“Let him go. Now.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Now.”

“Eren, this is pure nonsense. You know nothing about love and nothing about that rat. Stop complaining and let’s go home.”

“Let. Him. _Go_ ,” Eren let out a bloodcurdling scream that sharply cut through the stagnant air and rang out even louder than the one from before. As the volume raised, a whirling wind whipped up around them. Eren’s entire body quivered with rage. A chunk of the cavernous ceiling fell to the floor, creating a gaping hole of light that shined down from above.

From that opening came some kind of angel with white wings and a light surrounding their heavenly form. A woman floated down with magical ease, slowly and gracefully until her bare feet hit the ground. As she stepped out from the light, Eren gasped to realize it was Mikasa. His mother growled at the sight of her and took a step back.

“Our evidence indicates that you, Carla Jaeger, are guilty,” she spoke. Even though she wasn’t yelling or shouting her voice was loud and heard by all. “I’ve been sent by our brothers and sisters to apprehend you and return you to your domain. In exchange, I will take your child back to the heavens where he belongs.”

“Like Hell you will,” Carla swore back, stooping low into a fighting position. “Eren, get _back._ ”

“I will _not_ ,” Eren spoke between his teeth, making a run toward Levi and the other purebloods.

They all raised their fists in preparation for a fight, which made Carla scream, “Don’t you _dare_ hurt him, you bastards!” At that, they submit and took more of a guarded stance and readjusted their grip on Levi.

“Can’t you just behave for _one minute_?!” she seethed, throwing her arms up in frustration. It reminded him of when he was little and always trying to escape their little house. She’d often get annoyed with him, but usually calmed down after a moment.

“I can’t,” he shook his head. “Not even for a _second_.” With that, he continued bolting toward Levi, so he could grab onto his mate for dear life and never let go again. They were _so close_ yet felt so far away.

A part of him didn’t want to glance back at her. He knew the expression on her face would be one of sadness. Eren never wanted to hurt her, but she didn’t leave him many choices. He refused to sit quietly in a cage again. He needed his freedom to see the outside world, to meet all sorts of wonderful people, and to experience it all at Levi’s side.

It was then that Mikasa started to move. At the speed of light, she was suddenly in front of Eren’s mother. Her arm came down like an axe, slashing down toward Carla, who expertly dodged to the side to avoid impact.

Eren ran headfirst into the pack of purebloods. They were too afraid to hurt him, so they parted like the Red Sea until Eren had the opening to wrap his arms around Levi’s neck and hug onto him tightly. Without even thinking about it, he socked one of the purebloods in the face to get them to let Levi go. When they did, Eren climbed all over his mate like a koala and swatted at the purebloods until they awkwardly stepped away to give them a bubble of space.

“Are you okay?” Levi asked firstly, looking Eren over and grimacing. Burn marks from the sunlight still hung around Eren’s skin as well as the cuts from the glass. His body hadn’t healed quickly due to a lack of blood.

“I’m fine now,” Eren promised, taking Levi’s face in his hands to force his mate to look at him rather than his wounds. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Levi returned, taking a long breath of relief before smiling and pulling Eren into an even closer embrace. “Fuck, I missed you. Don’t _ever_ teleport away from me again. Don’t ever go anywhere I can’t go too.”

There wasn’t much time for conversation when the Goddess of War and the Goddess of Death were having a battle right in front of them. Levi picked Eren up and hauled him as far from them as he could, and the purebloods followed for their own safety. Eren had to wonder what the hell his mother had gotten herself into, and if it was the day he’d witness her death for the second time.

* * *

It wasn’t supposed to turn out that way, though Carla was running out of options. Eren was her entire world and she couldn’t rationalize the fact that he ended up becoming Levi’s world too. When she had first met Levi, she admired his handsome looks and willingness to survive. He was one of the few humans that spoke to her, telling her that she was beautiful but also making a mistake. She was flattered by the prior and ignored the latter. For the longest time she favored him, but all new toys lost their luster after a while. After the purebloods turned on him, jealous of the special gifts she’d given him and fearful of what connection they had, she left him in the dust. It was almost ironic, in a sad sort of way.

Mikasa’s skill in battle was unmatched and Carla knew she couldn’t hold her own for much longer. Every punch was met with a block from Carla, but she started to falter. Every kick threw her off of her balance. Every shimmering ball of energy that Mikasa threw at her was barely dodged.

Carla knew she made plenty of mistakes in her time. She spent most of in anger, frustrated that she’d been locked away in Hell while the other Gods and Goddesses got to look upon the humans from above. The only true happiness she ever found came from Eren. Due to the humans and their greed, he was taken away and thrust into the arms of the most dangerous being on the god-forsaken planet.

A fleeting fantasy flashed before her eyes of sharing her son with the pureblood, but it was a sad and lonely image too. She knew she was too selfish to willingly give him up to another, a flaw she’d never escape. The moment the other crooked purebloods and humans would hear about Eren’s connection with her would mean certain danger for her son forever. The only person who could keep him safe was her. Glancing over to the two and watching Levi fawn over her boy made her smile a little, happy in the fact that Eren was smiling again. It was either one or the other, she knew. As much as she wanted it to be her, for Eren to choose her, it seemed her story was ending rather quickly and that wouldn’t be an option.

But that didn’t mean she’d give up the fight.

“Fuck you and the rest of the Gods,” she hissed, grabbing Mikasa by the wrist in the middle of an attempted punch. Carla flexed it back and heard bones break as she slowly yet effectively ripped off Mikasa’s hand by the wrist. With a few twists and yanks, it came clean off and she tossed it aside. Like magic, it started growing back but before it could, Carla used it as a chance to grab Mikasa by the neck. “You all refused to give me a happy ending, so I made my own. Now, you’re taking it away again. What are you, demons?”

“We’re doing what’s _right,_ ” Mikasa spat back, grabbing Carla by the wrist with her other hand. “You were never meant to walk the Earth. We don’t belong here. They’re better off without us.”

“I can’t leave him here, I won’t,” Carla cried, allowing tears to fall from her burning eyes. Her entire body ached with human pain, but also the emotional pain that drove her into a certain type of madness over the years. “Don’t take him away from me.”

Mikasa ripped Carla’s hand off of her neck and tackled her to the ground, pinning her effectively. “He’d never be able to live with you, and you know that. He’d never be truly happy,” Mikasa delivered the cruel truth. “They need you in Hell and I have been tasked to escort you there and assure that you’ll never walk the Earth again.”

A beam of light came from Mikasa’s hands and wrapped around Carla’s body like a snake. The light formed metal chains that wrapped and twisted around her body, tightening until her bones started to crack. A multitude of stars burst from the chains, beginning the process of binding her to her domain.

“Mom!” she heard out of nowhere. She turned to see Eren rushing from across the room to her side. He fell to his knees and bit his lip, holding back tears. “I… I don’t understand.”

“Shh, it’s okay,” she cooed, wanting to calm him down. When she really looked at him, he appeared to be sick. The time she’d kept him from his mate drained him of his energies, making him look pale and thin. “This is… how it needs to be,” she sighed.

“I don’t want it to be like this, I never did,” he sniffled. “Why couldn’t we all be together like a family?”

“Because it’s not my place,” she sadly admitted the truth. “I wanted to bring you to Hell with me where we could be together, but that’s a place you wouldn’t survive in. If we all stayed here, it’d create chaos. If I could keep you on Earth hidden away with me…” That was her only option, and it sadly didn’t work out. No matter how many purebloods she bribed, how many places she took Eren to hide in, or how long she could keep his existence a secret, it wouldn’t have worked.

A look of realization crossed his face, but it didn’t wipe away the sadness. “You wanted to stay here to be with me, where no one would know about us. If Levi and his family knew… if any other vampires or humans knew about us…”

“Chaos,” she laughed a little at the wretchedness of it all. “It’d potentially ruin this planet. A little power, like the one you and I have, can change this world for the worse.”

He frowned. “Now what?”

“Mikasa is in the process of sending me back to Hell, where I’ll resume my rule and never see this world again,” she spoke softly. “Never see _you_ again.”

Eren blinked some tears away and struggled for words. He had never been good at finding the right thing to say, usually saying whatever popped into his head without much thought. Instead of speaking, he gathered her up into his arms and hugged her tightly. Even against the pain and the chains, she could feel the warmth of his skin. “I love you,” he told her. “Always. No matter what. I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t apologize, honey,” she relaxed against his touch, “It’s not your fault and it never was. I’m just happy I got to know you for the time I did. I’m lucky you let me love you. I’m lucky to have had you at all.”

She started fading. The sunlight streaming through the hole in the ceiling and Eren’s beautiful green eyes filled her vision. Eren was frantically saying things, but she couldn’t hear them as a sharp, piercing buzzing noise filled her ears. The warmth of her son’s touch was the last thing on Earth that she’d ever feel, the gemstone emerald eyes was the last color she’d see, and the sound of him telling her that he loved her was the only thing she’d ever want to hear.

* * *

“My job is nearly done,” Mikasa announced as Carla’s body faded into nothing. She stood next to Eren’s shaking body, wishing to offer him some kind of comfort but unsure how. “I have one last task left, I’m to take Eren back home with me.”

 “ _What_?” Eren whipped is head up to look at her, another round of tears gathering up. He almost looked as though he were ready to punch her in the face for saying something so devastating to him.

“It was a part of my mission. I’m to take you home with me, where you belong. Your power is too dangerous here, especially now that you know it exists.”

Levi was suddenly there, gathering up Eren in his arms and glaring at her. “You wouldn’t.”

“I have to,” she delivered the truth with a sympathetic frown. “A demigod doesn’t belong on Earth. You’ve both seen the damage that can be done.”

“I’m not leaving,” Eren’s tired voice spoke firmly. “I won’t. I’ll do anything to stay, no matter what it is.”

Mikasa paused for a moment, marveling at the strength left in the kid. He’d been through Hell and back, yet still was prepared to fight. As the Goddess of War, she admired him for it. A guy like that was special, and she could see why so many people were fighting for him. It left her with a new idea. “You can join the Gods and Goddesses in heaven, Eren. You can bask in eternal glory and magic. You can look down upon the Earth and help us protect it, living among legends…” she paused for just a moment to let the reality set in. “Or, I could turn you into a human again, so you can stay here.” Giving Levi a glance, she added, “I can’t control what happens after I return to the heavens. I definitely can’t do anything if you decide to mark him again. But for now, I need to fulfill my duties and Eren needs to make a choice.”

“I want to stay,” Eren replied in an instant. The opportunity to live amongst Gods and Goddesses meant nothing to him. It was clear what he truly wanted, and it made Mikasa smile. She wasn’t a complete monster, after all, and she didn’t want to be the one to tear the two star-crossed lovers apart. Mikasa acted before either of them could respond or react in any way, placing a single finger on Eren’s forehead. In just a few seconds, a glowing light gathered from every vein in his body toward his heart where the light dissipated into nothingness. “I can’t change purebloods, but changing humans back to normal is relatively easy,” she mumbled. “And changing them back seems to be too,” she glanced to Levi who seemed to understand.

With her mission completed and mostly cleaned up, it was time for her to return home. “Thank you for the hospitality, Levi. And Eren, I’m very sorry about your mother. I think she truly loved you, and for a Goddess that’s a very dangerous thing.”

Both men nodded, which made Mikasa smile. Humans were adaptable, after all, which always impressed her. They saw light in the darkness, and she knew they’d find a happy ending too.

“I’ll see you in the heavens eventually, Eren, and I’ll be happy to be the first to greet you there,” she waved one last time before disappearing back to her own world. She truly meant what she had said knowing that when the end came for Eren Jaeger, it’d be the beginning of a new friendship.

* * *

He was human again, which is something Eren never thought to be possible. Overall, he felt shittier like his whole body was going to fall apart. The burns on his arms and cuts on his hands weren’t healing at all and they pained him to no end. Weakness took over his muscles and he fell limp against Levi. “I want to go home,” he whispered, tears threatening to spill from his eyes again. After all the intensity, pain, and trauma his emotions were all over the place. The only thing he could focus on was the fact that he wanted to go home with Levi.

“You chose to be a human?” Levi had to ask first, voice low and quiet.

“Of course I did, stupid. I want to be with you,” Eren snorted with whatever breath he had left.

Levi was quiet for a few seconds, but Eren could hear his heart beating loudly. It was the last thing he heard before passing out, and it was perfect.

* * *

Weeks after the incident with the Goddesses passed quietly. Levi kept Eren secured in bed as his arms healed and he got healthier and healthier. Eren was brought back to the house the same way he had been brought in the first time, sick and thin. With just a little time, care, and love from everyone in the family he was back to normal.

Well, as normal as he could get for undergoing such an experience. Levi caught Eren staring into space with the most depressed expression, throwing on a fake smile whenever Levi caught him and snapped him out of the trance.

Once Levi deemed him well enough, Eren spent a lot of time out in the sunshine with the other humans. He spent _so_ much time in the sun that his skin tanned nicely, and he looked brighter than ever. Levi could only watch from the shadows or the security cameras and Petra would give him shit for it. Even after getting teased, though, he still watched.

The purebloods from that day had scattered, disassembling the Council and silently going on about their lives. Levi spoke with Erwin often about them, but neither heard anything. Dot Pixis was happy to announce that they decided it wasn’t worth trying to control the uncontrollable, officially too fearful of Levi and his demigod boyfriend to even try to stop them. The old drunk was so delighted with the change that he committed himself to making sure any humans with Type O blood kept in captivity were freed and rehabilitated.

Levi was just happy that Eren was safe and happy. As a human, Eren got to enjoy the sunshine and Levi wasn’t going to push him into changing back. He’d wait until Eren asked, and luckily, they were under much better circumstances than the first time so they had all the time in the world to wait.

Eren burst in from an outdoor game of basketball with the biggest smile on his face, rushing into the kitchen to greet Levi with the biggest hug. The moment Levi touched him, all he could think about was how warm Eren’s skin was and how beautifully dark it had become.

“Were you spying on me?” he giggled, kissing at Levi’s cheeks several times before going in for a proper kiss. It deepened quickly and Eren used the tip of his tongue to poke at Levi’s fangs. “Like a creepy, perverted vampire would?”

“Always,” Levi happily responded with another kiss. He used his own tongue to skim over Eren’s dull human teeth. “Can’t lose you again, especially while you’re a weak, pathetic little human.”

Eren snorted and reached up to pinch Levi’s nose for teasing. They’d refrained from anything over than heated kisses, both knowing that the moment they let it go any farther Eren would have to kiss his humanity goodbye. It was the one thing Levi didn’t have enough power for, to hold himself back from devouring his mate.

“I want to go somewhere with you,” Eren finally said. “Like a trip. I haven’t gone many places, and I want to see the world with you.”

“You do?” Levi was caught off guard, but not in a bad way.

“I do. So… can we go somewhere? Alone…?”

“Of course. We can do anything you want,” Levi promised. He ruffled Eren’s hair and reveled in the smile his mate gave him. For once, it seemed they were able to love one another in a delightful peace. The world felt right and glimmering with a bright future for the both of them. After fighting for what felt like forever, they’d broken free from the storm and could finally enjoy the ride together.

Eren was kissing him again with joy, excited as well. A trip was nothing compared to what Levi wanted to give him. Eren gave up a life amongst Gods and Goddesses for Levi, and that left him feeling pretty damn special in a way that only Eren could make him feel. Still, he knew Eren was the special one and couldn’t wait to show him the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading <3<3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	27. Chapter 27

_Demigod,_ Eren tested the word in his mind. He’d never thought of himself as anything other than a mere human, and it turned out he hadn’t even been a real human in the first place. When he repeated the word again and again in his mind, it gave him no emotion. There wasn’t a flutter in his heart or a smile tugging at his lips. When he looked at Levi, though, his whole body reacted with love and giddiness. It was how he consistently knew he had made the right choice.

They took a private plane to their destination in the dead of night. Levi had apologized that there wouldn’t be a lot to see out the window, but it made for a comfortable trip for the pureblood as well as the changeling pilots. Eren didn’t mind, he got to see the big city lights against the darkness as they passed by and couldn’t stop his amazement with the world below. Eren didn’t even ask where they were going because to him, it didn’t matter. They were travelling somewhere new and he got to be with Levi which was enough for him.

The days he’d spent out in the sun along with the other humans along with the nights he stayed awake as long as he could to be with Levi wore on him. His eyes were drooping shut against his own excitement on the plane and he dared to lean against Levi, letting his head rest on the vampire’s shoulder. Levi’s fingers came up to brush against his neck in the place a scar used to lie. Eren missed that scar too, yearning for the day Levi could give him another that would tie them together forever again. He’d cherished the days he got to enjoy the sun again without it burning his skin but decided that during the trip he’d be ready for his life as Levi’s mate again.

“You can sleep, if you need to,” Levi offered, adjusting himself to make Eren more comfortable. “There’s a bed in the back.”

“No, I’m fine right here,” Eren nestled in a little further, curling into Levi the best he could in his seat. “Just let me know when we get there,” he said with a yawn, promptly snoozing the entire rest of the way.

* * *

Levi had planned out the trip himself, keeping Eren’s lack of experience in the human world in mind while also trying to keep him excited and thrilled. He had the feeling he and Eren would renew their bond on that trip, which had his undead heart beating with unbridled happiness.

It wasn’t often a pureblood went to explore the world and Levi was honestly curious to see how it had changed around him during his time hiding from it. Humans knew to respect vampires, but that didn’t mean they liked them whatsoever. He didn’t want to intrude on their world, so he stayed out of it when he could. It was Eren’s world, though, and he’d accompany his mate regardless of whether or not the humans enjoyed his presence.

The moment they landed, Eren awoke with a jolt. His eyes were glued out the window at all the airport lights and the big planes taking humans on their journeys. He wasn’t short of questions on how airports and planes worked, but luckily Levi knew most of the answers. Just outside the plane, a limousine with heavily tinted windows waited for them. Levi and Eren stood out to stretch their legs for a bit before piling into the back of the limo and taking off toward their living arrangements for the week.

Of course, not before they stopped at the nearest fast food restaurant to get Eren the biggest order of curly fries they could. The driver made a special trip and ran inside, only to come back with the treat. Eren looked so brilliantly happy that he nearly leaned in to embrace the driver but held back so he could devour the entire bag himself. The sheer smell of those damned fries had Levi’s stomach curdling, remembering what had happened the last time Eren tried to feed him one. It kept his mate occupied throughout the rest of their long drive through the countryside to a lone house in the middle of nowhere.

It wasn’t as big or brilliant as their home, but it was beautiful and perfect for just the two of them. The baroque-style villa sat amongst an immaculate garden far from the city, but close enough to allow them a visit whenever they wished. Plenty of outdoor lighting allowed a lovely view of the garden and its multitude of flowering plants and trimmed trees. Overall, Levi thought it to be quite romantic and the perfect getaway.

Two maids and a young butler lived in the house and were prepared to serve them and Eren gave him a funny look, as if Levi ignored Eren’s request to be _alone_. The trio were gracious, welcoming, and had the beautiful home spic and span for them to settle right in. They escorted the duo into the den where they had tea prepared for Eren.

“Sir, could I get you anything?” the butler asked with the friendliest smile. “Or I could take your bags upstairs for you?” He gestured toward the three suitcases that Levi and Eren had dragged in with them.

“I’m just fine, Marco, and I can handle our luggage,” Levi returned, trying to make his face look warm and non-intimidating. He wasn’t certain if he’d succeeded or not. “I truly appreciate you and your mothers for allowing us to stay.”

“You let us live here for free as long as we take care of it, so we’re more than happy to welcome you home,” Marco laughed a little. “This place must be truly special to you.”

“It holds a very dear place in my heart,” Levi confirmed. He didn’t mind being open and honest with such a nice kid. He looked around Eren’s age and grew up in the home with his two mothers. Perhaps Marco and Eren would become friends before the week ended. Knowing Eren, they definitely would.

“Let us know if you need anything, then, sir,” Marco straightened up and gave another huge grin. “Make yourselves at home. I trust you’ll enjoy your quarters on the third level.”

The second Marco left the room, Eren leaned over and whispered, “I like him.”

“Me too,” Levi’s chest rumbled with a little laughter. He checked his watch and knew the sun would rise in the next hour. “Let’s get our things upstairs and settle in.”

With vampiric strength, Levi gathered up their bags like a pack mule and led Eren up the staircases until reaching the third floor. It was a space kept just for him with an open floorplan and a bathroom off to the side. Levi liked having the option to escape every once and a while. He found himself frequenting the villa more than any other homes he’d kept over the decades.

It seemed Marco and his two mothers kept the place updated throughout the years, purchasing new furniture and décor to keep up a modern atmosphere yet also held onto the more artistic features that decorated the room. The clash of modern and baroque styles worked quite well in Levi’s opinion. Back when he had the house built in the 1600’s, he’d actually admired the gilded, intricate architecture and was happy it stuck around.

“Fancy,” Eren noticed, poking around the large room with a little smile on his face. “What’s so special about this place anyway?”

“This house in built on the land I grew up in. Right on top of where my parent’s house was burnt to the ground,” Levi said quietly, idly running his hand over the cream upholstered bed frame and darker blankets while he watched Eren explore. “The garden outside is dedicated to them. It seemed like a fitting gravestone.”

Eren’s entire face softened and he stood still for a moment as if he were thinking about what to say. Instead of saying anything, he closed the gap between them and hugged onto Levi tightly. “Thank you for bringing me,” Eren murmured into Levi’s shirt. While Eren couldn’t sense the scents around them, Levi could. The warmest scent of apples surrounded them, fresh and sweet. It made Levi’s mouth water and his heart throb with endearment. He wanted to open up to Eren and show him everything that he was, and Eren seemed to truly appreciate it.

“I bet Marco would take you for a look around the garden, or are you hungry?” Levi sat on the bed, dreading the fact that the daylight would coop him up inside. As much as he wanted to suggest Eren and Marco go sightseeing together, he couldn’t bring himself to allow Eren to go too far beyond Levi’s reach especially in the sunshine.

Eren weighed his options and shrugged without much of a care. “I think I just want to be here with you.”

“Silly,” Levi ruffled Eren’s hair. It was as soft and unruly as always. “You should go explore. I know you want to.” _Because soon, you won’t be able to be out in the sun._

Eren blinked a few times and frowned, getting the point. He grumbled, “Okay, but the minute that the sun sets, you’re going to show me everything yourself.”

“Enjoy yourself,” Levi urged, giving Eren a little peck on the cheek before flopping onto the bed. “Don’t let my absence ruin your day.”

“Don’t let mine ruin yours, then,” Eren teased, crawling over the bed and on top of Levi. He smirked and leaned down to deliver a deep, wet, lust-filled kiss. His tongue slipped between Levi’s lips and fangs, teasing those sharp teeth and eventually pulling away with the most satisfied look on his face. The scent of tangy, alluring apples filled the air and Levi could feel all the old, dark blood from his head rush downward. Just like that, Eren was snickering and heading down the stairs leaving a sexually frustrated pureblood behind.

“Ass,” Levi snorted while letting his head fall back against the mattress. It seemed his mate would always keep him on his toes.

* * *

“So there’s a whole house of changelings and humans?” Marco asked, mystified by their life back at home. Eren was happy to talk about it, eager to divulge about his family and Levi.

“Yep, everyone is really nice,” Eren confirmed with a smile, walking around the vast garden. It was huge and beautiful in the early afternoon light. Dew still clung to pretty green leaves and delicate petals and he stooped down to admire them. “How long have you been here?”

“All my life,” Marco smiled, guiding Eren to the next batch of flowers. “Homeschooled… taught how to maintain a house… it’s… pretty boring,” Marco laughed.

“Maybe you can come back home with us,” Eren lit up, excited to have another new friend. “It’d be really fun!”

“Maybe,” Marco was brightening up too, eyes crinkling with every new smile. They’d spent several hours perusing through the house and garden, realizing that they got along wonderfully. Both hadn’t been exposed to much of the real world but were equally curious. Time went by quickly as they chatted and Eren perked up when he realized half the day was over already. He told Marco the story about how he and Levi met, how they’d overcome so many obstacles, and their most recent fight with his own mother. Marco listened intently and even laughed when Eren talked about stabbing Levi with a fork.

“It sounds like you really love each other,” Marco hummed as they walked back to the house. “It’s precious, really.”

“We do,” Eren returned with a warmth in his chest. “I’d do anything for him.”

“Even give up your humanity?” Marco asked, cocking his head to the side. “You seemed to hate vampires at first and now you’re human again. Do you want to freely give that up?”

“I do,” Eren said without hesitation. When he first met Levi, becoming a vampire was his worst fear. It was instilled in him by his mother and reaffirmed with every interaction he’d had with a vampire before he met Levi. So much had changed since then and Eren finally learned that vampires weren’t monsters, they were people too.

Marco wished him a good day and left to go accompany his mothers in the kitchen while Eren clambered right back up the stairs. He found Levi sleeping in the giant bed by himself, probably waiting for the daylight to fade so they could finally venture off together. Like a little worm, Eren snuggled into the blankets and under Levi’s arm. The vampire didn’t even stir, he only subconsciously moved around until he and Eren were in their usual sleeping positions.

 

Mere hours later, they were all dressed up in the dress clothes they’d brought along. Levi helped Eren tie the black, skinny tie around his neck that went along with the rest of the black, tailored suit. Levi wore a charcoal grey with a matching tie and looked as sexy as ever. They had dinner reservations, apparently, and Eren was excited to finally see a city in person.

“Not flying this evening?” Eren chuckled when they stepped outside to the car waiting for them. “Don’t want to scare the city folk with your true form?”

“I don’t think they’d take kindly to a monster in their skies,” Levi smirked. “I doubt any of them have ever seen a vampire’s true form before. Let’s go easy on them tonight.”

Eren spent the ride with his eyes glued to the window and Levi seemed a tiny bit annoyed that Eren’s eyes weren’t glued on him instead. It was difficult to resist, though, as the countryside blended in with the suburbs and then the city. Eren wasn’t used to seeing so many huge buildings and glittering lights. “It’s amazing,” he commented, watching tons of humans walking the streets and tons of cars surround them with honking horns and blaring headlights. It was so much bigger than the little town he’d grown up in and so much more fascinating.

The car parked right outside the restaurant that was nestled in between tons of other shops and fancy-looking buildings. Expensive cars were all pulling up front and a valet would take them away. Levi was careful in taking Eren’s hand to guide him through the motions of getting out, giving the keys to the attendant, and walking inside.

Plenty of people stared as if they knew that Levi was a vampire. Beyond the fangs, it seemed difficult to tell. Levi gave off an aura, Eren presumed, that humans could detect. After spending so much time with vampires, Eren didn’t notice much anymore. They were led by a waiter through the place until reaching the top balcony. It was gorgeous with tons of potted plants, small candlelit tables, and a view of the city below. A few other couples were seated around them, but not too close.

Eren sat across from Levi and followed the vampire’s motions of putting his cloth napkin across his lap. He found it odd and asked, “Are you eating tonight?”

“My meal will come later tonight,” Levi smirked. “I hope, at least.”

Eren snickered and blushed, “I hope so too.” He wanted their renewed bond to be special, something they couldn’t have the first time around. It was partly why he’d suggested a trip in the first place and he was happy for it. All of the fancy dinners, pretty gardens, and expensive cars were nothing compared to the time Eren got to spend with Levi.

Though the food was a tough competitor because _damn_ it was good. The moment the waiter brought it to Eren, his mouth was watering with excitement. Levi watched with amusement as Eren devoured the plate like an animal and commented on how Eren was using the wrong fork, to which Eren promptly muttered that he didn’t give a damn.

Even through his chewing, he found hear a woman sitting nearby refer to him as a _barbarian_ and expressed her shock that a vampire had chosen _him_ of all things to claim as a food source but Eren didn’t care. Levi seemed to hear as well and pulled Eren’s face across the table by his tie to deliver a publicly inappropriate kiss. It was so heated and deep that Eren wondered if they were going to tear the table cloth off the table and make out right then and there. He wouldn’t have cared if he didn’t have the plate of the most delicious steak and potatoes he’d ever eaten in front of him. He refused to sacrifice a perfectly wonderful meal in order to prove a point but hoped that kiss would resume after their meal ended. Once he’d cleaned his plate and it was taken away, they left the restaurant in favor of walking around the city so Eren could see all the different sights.

“How’s the date going so far?” Levi asked out of the blue.

“Date?” Eren suddenly realized that was exactly what they were doing. They’d never been on a proper date before and he blushed at the thought. They were on a _date_ , a normal date that two people went on when they loved each other.

“I thought it’d be nice to take you on one since we didn’t have the chance before,” he shrugged. “Call me a romantic, I guess.”

“I love it,” Eren happily responded, taking Levi’s hand in his. “I’ll score it a nine out of ten.”

“A nine? What’ll make it a ten?”

“If I get lucky tonight,” Eren giggled with a devilish smile. “That’ll make it an eleven, at least.”

With a rapid tug, Levi was pulling Eren back to the car. “I think we can arrange that,” he called back to his mate, obviously eager to get on with the night. Eren was laughing all the while he was dragged back to the car. He wasn’t even upset that their exploration was cut short. The two were laughing like dorks as they piled back into the car. Eren didn’t waste a second in hopping up on Levi’s lap and grabbing him by the tie to hold him in place while he kissed his mate’s cheeks and lips. One he could properly straddle Levi’s hips, Eren was already grinding against the vampire in quick, needy motions.

The fact that someone was driving the car faded from Eren’s consciousness. The fact that they were cramped in the backseat wasn’t minded either. All Eren wanted to do was be with Levi, and he was lucky enough that day to get exactly what he wanted.

Between kisses, dirty whispers, and a few careful nips here and there, the car ride went quickly. Levi was carrying Eren into the house before they knew it and depositing him right onto the plush bedsheets.

There was nothing but happiness and love between them. Once Levi burnt both of their suits off, there weren’t even clothes between them. For once, there were no time constraints, fear, or threat upon them. They could take their time and fully revel in their love. Like the first time, Levi cleaned out Eren’s insides with a mere tap of a finger and even though Levi knew Eren inside and out, it still pulled out an embarrassed blush from the human. A second tap had a warm, slick lubricant gathering between his cheeks. The shyness didn’t last long, though, as Eren was waiting on pins and needles for what was to come.

Eren settled back against the pillows and opened up his legs, waiting for Levi to fill the space in between them. He used one hand to pull the hair away from his face and the other to reach out to his mate. “Come on, what are you waiting for?”

“Just enjoying the moment, my impatient little human,” Levi cracked a smile and took one of Eren’s calves in his hand, slowly leaving little kisses up to Eren’s knee.

“I’d say _you’re_ the impatient one,” Eren teased.

“Let’s share the burden, then,” Levi shot right back, always witty with words. He set Eren’s leg down and repeated the same treatment on his other one. While his hands were steering clear of Eren’s cock, his eyes weren’t ignoring the erection between Eren’s legs. Eren didn’t let Levi’s go unnoticed either, deliberately staring and licking his lips.

“What are you so anxious for?” Levi chuckled against Eren’s thigh.

“I’m sick of not being yours,” Eren huffed. “I… want us to be together again.”

“You’re always mine,” Levi corrected.

“ _Officially_ yours,” Eren tapped at his neck. “Linked… like we used to be.”

Levi hummed with pride, probably pleased with the fact that Eren wanted to be bonded and marked again with such desperation and devotion. In such a new, magical place with plenty of new wonders, Eren just wanted to be with Levi. The rest of the world lost its meaning without the vampire in his life. Perhaps it was too dependent of him to feel, but it was an emotion he couldn’t ignore.

“I won’t make you wait any longer, then,” Levi happily let Eren’s leg go and hooked his arms under Eren’s knees to lift them up slightly. With a laugh, Eren’s hips were forced into the air and Levi was on top of him, poised and ready to penetrate.

In a graceful, quick motion Levi’s cock was sinking inside of him. At the same time, Levi’s fangs were sinking inside of his flesh too. The feeling had Eren craning his neck up to bite into Levi’s neck too, so the experience was shared. He hadn’t thought about the motion, his body simply reacted just as it had the first time.

They were completely intertwined, just how Eren wanted them to be. Shockwaves of pleasure licked up his entire body, from toes to the top of his head. Levi didn’t dare move an inch for quite a while, until carefully removing his fangs and gazing down into Eren’s eyes. Eren released at the same time, lying back down into the pillows and dreamily staring right back into Levi’s.

Like red ribbons floating between them, four strands of their blood emerged from their necks and connected them in a continuous flowing dance. Levi shared his own lifeblood with Eren, filling him with magic and power combined. Eren’s entire body relaxed into the exchange, openly allowing Levi’s eternal connection to him.

Eventually, those ribbons thinned out and dissipated. Their new scars healed almost instantly, and they were left connected only by their lower halves. Eren was the first to move, thrusting his hips a tiny bit to urge his mate on. It was a silent message, but one that got across loud and clear.

Levi started pulling out and pushing in bit by bit. Every tiny movement was like a miniature orgasm for Eren as every nerve in his body was electrified and tingling with energy. The biggest smile was stuck on his face, his heart elated with the fact that he and Levi were bound together again not only by promise but by blood as well. “I love you,” he gasped, unable to say anything else. He wanted to tell Levi how good it felt or how much he needed _more_ , but only those three words would come out.

Levi repeated them right back in a lazy drawl, giving Eren everything he had. His thrusts grew faster, harder, and deeper until he was sputtering nonsense and coming inside of his mate. The hot sensation had Eren’s hand flying down to his own erection, giving it only a mere few strokes before coming as well.

It was overwhelming as hell, but the best Eren ever felt. After a day of only happiness and excitement, it seemed like the perfect way to begin their journey together.

He squeaked when he felt Levi’s cock growing and he soon remembered the _knot_ Levi had described to him the first time they’d bonded. It was meant to keep them together after such intimacy, though Eren knew his mate wouldn’t leave him. Like Levi had said, he wouldn’t leave- not in a million years. And with the rest of eternity to spend together, there was plenty of truth to that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sort of a fluffier, fun chapter to help us cool down from the previous few! I hope you enjoyed this one <3 I'll see you for the last chapter!
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	28. Chapter 28

Erwin Smith stood at the front of the room, the new commander and chief of the Vampiric Council. Or rather, what used to be the Vampiric Council. “I’d like to declare our organization with a new name and a new mission entirely,” Erwin stated using his most professional speaking voice. Levi found it funny as he was standing in front of a room filled with friends. “Our team will be named the Wings of Freedom with the goal to keep a good relationship with the humans, free any remaining Omegas under cruel treatment, to correct corrupted purebloods, and to bring new trusted members into the vampiric society with the help of Eren Ackerman.” Eren’s new name had Levi’s heart fluttering. It was old fashioned, but Eren insisted on it.

Eren waved to the remaining purebloods in the room. He looked shy but confident all at once, staying put at Levi’s side but willing to chat with anyone who wanted. He’d gotten a plethora of questions from the purebloods regarding his powers as a demigod. Curiously of all, most purebloods wished for him to make their loved ones into Omegas, so they could share a sacred bond together. Levi had expected demands of creating more purebloods, not Omegas. It was a refreshing change of pace and he admired how enthusiastically Eren took on the task. He’d converted several changelings that day into Omegas, and even one changeling into a pureblood with ease. It was a spectacular sight to see in the right setting.

“We aim to control our own population by creating pairs of Alpha and Omega,” Erwin stated firmly. “Yet not exceed either end of the spectrum. We have plenty of battles ahead of us and plenty of people that need to be saved, but I know we can do it together.”

After the meeting at Erwin’s home, Levi was happy to take Eren back home. They had some unfinished business with their own family members that they’d been itching to get to. As they arrived home, the estate was as rowdy as usual. The humans had adjusted to a nocturnal sleep schedule and were all gathered around the den to greet the vampires when they got home. The changelings were there too, facilitating some kind of game of charades they were all playing together. Even Marco was there, who ended up coming along home with them after copious amounts of begging from Eren. Of course, the game was postponed when Eren was back and prepared to fulfill some promises.

First came Mike. He’d adamantly referred to himself as a mere changeling, respecting the title of a pureblood. After much thought and discussion, Levi and Eren agreed to turn him into a pureblood. It wasn’t for himself, Mike kept saying, it was for her. For Nanaba. When the process wasn’t rushed, turning a changeling into a pureblood was actually a smooth and easy change. He closed his eyes during Eren’s shallow bite and opened them up when it was all over. The scent-change in the air told Levi the transformation was done, and the way Nanaba threw herself at Mike with a giggle and a shout told him it had been a good idea.

Next was Hange, who had desperately pleaded for years to be turned. Instead of a changeling, however, Eren agreed to turn them into a pureblood like they had always wanted. Hange was so thrilled that they nearly started to foam from the mouth and Levi warned Eren about biting them, so he wouldn’t get rabies. After some laughs and assurances that Hange had gotten all of their shots, Eren changed them into a brand-new vampire. They fainted with joy, but quickly recovered and hugged the lights out of Moblit.

After all the changes, Eren pleaded for them to continue the game so he could play too. Levi sat back with Farlan and Isabel to watch as the humans and changelings acted out silent, silly sketches with the others guessed what they were trying to portray.

“It turned out okay, didn’t it?” Farlan hummed with a smile, allowing Isabel to nap on his shoulder. “I never thought you’d end up so happy.”

“You didn’t?” Levi mused.

“You shut yourself away and refused to open up to any of us,” Farlan explained. “Until him.”

“I suppose I did.”

“What made him different?”

“It’s hard to say,” the pureblood gazed at his mate and how he smiled, as if he were the embodiment of sunshine himself. “Perhaps he was made for me.”

“A demigod made just for you? Think pretty highly of yourself, don’t you?” Farlan teased with a little snicker. “If it’s any consolation, you’re perfect for each other. Maybe it does take a demigod to get you to come out of your shell. The way you saved every person in this room sort of makes you an angel. And the way he’s the son of Death itself makes him a bit of a demon. It works, right?”

“If that’s how you think of it, sure,” Levi rolled his eyes. “I think you’ve been spending too much time with that crazy redhead. You know, if you wanted to change into an Alpha and Omega, Eren would do that for you.”

“Eh, not today. I’m not sure I want to put that burden on her yet. Immortality isn’t for everyone, you know. I like to take things slow.”

“You call sex on the first date ‘taking it slow’?” Levi raised an eyebrow.

Farlan just shook his head and laughed, “Okay, I take _some things_ slow.”

Levi thought longer on the subject, realizing Eren truly had softened him up as a man. He’d been cold, cursing, and chastised life itself with every waking moment. After such a short time with his mate, it seemed he’d grown a new, warmer heart. The affections he held for his family were no longer buried deep within. The appreciation he held for every person who had stuck by his side didn’t go unspoken. Most of all, he smiled more. He was a changed man and all it took was a stubborn, vicious, beautiful man that came bursting down the stairs and into Levi’s unknowing arms.

Petra sat with Bean in her lap, petting the little guy as he purred and stretched his little paws out. She chatted with Oluo, one of the changelings that came along with the humans. Out of all the new family members, he seemed like the most responsible and she seemed happier with him around. It seemed she found someone else to boss around and help her keep the house straight.

The humans laughed and played their game together, free and healthier than ever before. The trauma that had existed in their eyes faded with every passing day, and Levi actually felt some kind of parental pride for the little brats. They’d fought their battles respectably and came out the other end with smiles on their faces.

“It really is like a fairytale fucking ending,” he realized. “With shitty smiles and everything.”

“You’re missing the magical carriage that takes you and Princess Eren away at the end, though,” Farlan noted. “We’re just stuck with a shitty vampire and his bratty mate.”

“Gee, thanks,” Levi sarcastically responded. “I like this ending better anyway.”

“Same. The other would have made me gag. Plus, it really isn’t and ending, is it?”

“Nah, it’s the beginning of some fucking peace around here,” Levi stood from his spot and gave Farlan a smile. “It’s about time, right?”

“You know it,” Farlan gave him a thumbs-up.

The game was almost over, and Levi grabbed Eren by the hips, propping him up over his shoulder to steal him away.

“Hey, where are we going?” Eren poked at Levi’s head, shocked by the sudden lift.

“It’s time for you to eat,” Levi informed him, happy to get a few moments alone with his mate. Instead of trekking all the way up to their bedroom, he settled for taking them outside to the garden and sitting down on the nearest lounger. Eren straddled him like usual, tucking his face away in Levi’s neck in preparation for the bite. “You’re a weak vampire all over again, so eat up.”

“What about you? I’m not eating unless you do,” Eren stubbornly retorted with a little smile. Levi could feel it against his bare neck.

“Fine, you eat first and I’ll eat second. Deal?”

Eren sighed dramatically and grazed his sharp fangs over Levi’s waiting skin. It made his entire body shiver with anticipation, craving for Eren to just bite in. Luckily, his mate never left him waiting too long and Eren bit right into Levi’s neck to draw out the blood he needed.

Feeding Eren under the dark, night sky was nearly euphoric. The shining stars above them and the big, looming moon made Eren’s skin look so pretty. Their combined scents accompanied the night air so pleasantly, like hot apple cider on a chilly day. The moon and a bloody feast fit Levi’s idea for a romantic night and he wondered if Eren felt the same. By the way his mate smelled, he did and that made Levi smile.

After a few solid minutes, Eren broke away with dark blood on his lips and a dreamy look in his eye. “Okay, your turn,” he demanded with a firmness that wouldn’t shake.

“Fine, fine,” Levi agreed. He took Eren’s chin between two fingers and tilted his mate’s head up to expose his neck. Levi’s eyes went straight for the scar he’d left on Eren’s neck and leaned in to take in a deep breath. The delicious scent that lured him in in the first place filled his lungs and soon his taste buds. He couldn’t help himself as his fangs sunk into Eren’s skin. The warm sweetness coated his tongue and warmed his throat as he drank it down, like real apple cider. Eren moaned into it, feeing the overwhelming amount of pleasure from being fed on.

Every time felt like the first time as the blood made Levi dizzy. His entire body felt real again and he felt a bit less dead. He wondered if that was what true love felt like, and decided it had to be so.

“Hey, Levi?” Eren asked in the middle of the feast. “We’ll be together forever, right?”

It was enough of a question to pry Levi off of Eren’s neck. “Of course we will. Why do you ask?”

“I was thinking about how many things could have gone wrong and all the ways we wouldn’t have even met. It seems like a one in a million chance I even got to meet you. What if I didn’t run into you that day at the hotel auction? What if the humans didn’t find me and my mom in our house? What if we’d moved?”

Levi started petting Eren’s hair if only to just quiet his worrying mate. “Hey, what’s got you all anxious?”

“So many things could have gone wrong this entire time, but they didn’t,” Eren relived the terrors of their relationship and all they’d endured. “But… what if they did?”

Levi stayed quiet for just a moment to collect his thoughts and figure out the right words to quell his mate’s irrational worries. Per usual, he didn’t have any ‘right’ words, but he did have something to say. “Do you know how when we connected, our blood forms this string that links us together?”

“Yeah, like ribbons,” Eren remembered.

“Ever heard about the red string of fate?”

“No.”

Levi should have guessed, but he still felt the need to ask. “Okay, it’s this myth or whatever about a red string that links people together. Well, it links soulmates together. If you believe in that sort of shit. The string is really fucking strong and can reach infinitely just to connect the two together. We’ve got that string wrapped around our fingers, keeping us together no matter what.”

The story got Eren to smile and the worry melted off of his face. “A red string, huh?” he grinned, rubbing his index finger against his bloody lips with thought. “Not sure I buy that, but I liked the story.” By the look on his face, Eren _did_ buy the story. Levi could tell when he was lying simply by listening to his mate’s pounding heartbeat.

“It’s a nice story,” Levi said just to make his mate feel a little better about believing it. “Plus, if it were true for anyone, it’d be true for us. We’ve got real red strings to prove it.”

A bigger grin spread across Eren’s face and a look of renewed determination and devotion lit his face right up. “We do,” he agreed.

“So we can be together until the ends of the earth, as far as those strings will go.”

“Forever,” Eren chimed happily, nuzzling into Levi’s neck with a happy hum.

“Forever,” Levi agreed, knowing that word wasn’t just a sweet nothing. It was real for them, something that would bind them together until they either died together or the world ended around them.

And as Eren kissed him with such sweetness, Levi decided that he was just fine with forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short little drabble to end this story. I am so grateful for those of you who have stuck with me throughout this entire story. Your support has truly made it much longer than I'd anticipated in the beginning. You've helped make my silly idea into a very fun and beautiful story- I can't thank you enough <3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


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